


What a year can change

by hallouween



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Aangst, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Friends to Lovers, Gay Zuko (Avatar), M/M, Minor Aang/Katara, Minor Original Character(s), Misunderstandings, Multi, Past Sokka/Suki - Freeform, Pining, Suki master cockblocker, off the roof sexual tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-12
Updated: 2020-01-27
Packaged: 2020-05-02 01:17:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 29,348
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19188973
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hallouween/pseuds/hallouween
Summary: The story follows the Gaang as they're reunited to celebrate Zuko's first year as Fire Lord. However, misunderstandings, broken promises and a coup threaten to break the team apart.





	1. An uphill battle

**Author's Note:**

> French person here so do feel free to point out any mistake in the comments and I will correct it.
> 
> Thank you.
> 
> Enjoy!

 

 

 

A pained moan broke the peaceful quietness of the royal chamber. 

The young Fire Lord shifted in his bed, silky bedsheets brushing against his pale, sweaty skin. His chest rose quickly as his fingers grabbed the blankets and his face tensed with worry. 

_You’re worthless_. _Useless_. _You have no honor_. He could hear Ozai’s voice rumbling with disgust and anger, and his own, feeble and terrified, begging for forgiveness.

_Pathetic_ , the older man continued. A flash of red light flew before Zuko’s eyes and suddenly, his face was on fire.

The pain was tearing his body apart. He screamed, asking for help, but was only met with Azula’s laughter and Ozai telling him was _lucky to have been born_ before passing out. 

Zuko woke up, his eyes meeting the well-furnished room bathing in the dim light of the rising sun. Running his shaking hands through his hair, he tried to pace his breathing and focus on the dragons painted on the ceiling. 

_That day is over_ , he thought to himself in a reassuring tone. _There’s nothing to be afraid of_. 

He’d had very poor sleep for a few weeks now, nightmares about Ozai adding to his growing anxiety about the results of his first year as Fire Lord. 

The year since Zuko's coronation had been quite hectic. His ascension to the throne had not been well received in the Fire Nation since most people, still convinced of the superiority of their Nation, thought him too young, too naive or too loyal to the Avatar. They also had concerns regarding his... love life.

The month following his outing and the release of the royal statement over his status had been disastrous; he received dirty looks, rotten cabbages were thrown at him during royal engagements, and threatening messages, wishing for Fire Lord Ozai’s reinstatation and the end of Zuko’s reconciliation policy, cluttered his staff's offices. 

The situation went from terrible to worse, deteriorating to the point that he had a security detail tailing him on every single one of his trips outside the palace. Even whilst on non-official business, his guards never let him out of their sight, worried that harm would come to him from freshly-removed Ozai loyalists who now had a deep hatred for his firstborn or from underground rebel organizations they knew were plotting to murder Zuko. 

It also didn’t help that parents from important families wouldn’t stop throwing their sons at him, hoping to gain nobility by forming an advantageous alliance with the newly crowned prince. This resulted in the palace having to release frequent statements denying that Zuko was frolicking around with anyone until he finally had enough, stepped in and threatened to take direct action against those who perpetrated such vile rumors. It was a vicious tactic, he admitted it, but it did give him some peace. 

Although the sneers had quickly died down and the worst was behind him, Zuko couldn’t help but think about how the now-defunct ban on same-sex relationships that his great-grandfather Fire Lord Sozin had implemented, and his successors Azulon and Ozai brutally endorsed, had forever changed his people's views on the matter.

To facilitate the transition, his councilors had advised Zuko not to get into a serious relationship before his current status as Fire Lord was completely accepted in the nation. It bothered him since he’d never been able to be open about his feelings and he truly craved companionship but he agreed it was for the best. 

However, now, over a year later, his rank was mostly approved of, thanks to his great leadership skills. Despite his young age, Zuko was a keen diplomat and negotiator and with his uncle Iroh’s help, he became better at listening to his advisors and more efficient at targeting and solving the many problems the hundred years conflict had caused all over the world.

And, although his new positon had already been fairly well received by the other nations, considering his links with the Avatar and his crucial help to end the war, it is Zuko’s dedication to his job and what it entailed that completely won them over. 

Multiples treaties were signed over the year, ranging from trade in order to generate economic growth, to humanitarian aid and the return of all cultural property seized during the war. 

This last one was particularly close to his heart. He remembered how Aang and Katara had struggled to find bending scrolls because the Fire nation had them stolen, then hidden away or destroyed. Zuko himself had participated in those raids and was deeply ashamed of it.

He knew very well he couldn’t undo all the horrors that happened, thinking with a heavy heart about what the war had taken from him and from his friends, but he was trying to help restore balance and found solace in the fact that one day they would all live in peace again. 

His numerous tours to the Earth Kingdom,  within the Fire Nation itself and his historic visit to the Northern Water Tribe as a guest of _honor_ had a massive impact on the relationships between the four nations. On every single one of his royal trips, he made promises to help the world rebuild from one hundred years of war and suffering and he was quick to take action. 

He had pulled troops out of the other Nations and decommissioned most military factories. To his surprise, Fire Nation people reacted positively to these policies, happy to finally reunite with their families. 

As a way to get a better understanding of his people's needs, the Fire Lord consulted with all kinds of people : nobles, Fire Sages, high-ranking military officials but also common citizens of the nation and scholars. It caused a bit of ruckus amongst his advisors at first, some of them thinking they were being overlooked.  But they quickly understood that it was for the greater good and that Fire Lord Zuko was determined not to commit the same errors as his Fathers. As he had said on the day of his coronation a year ago, Zuko wanted to restore the honor of the Fire Nation and it was something he just couldn’t do by observing the same patterns as his family. 

He wanted to be a good and kind leader. One his people could put their trust in, one that didn’t strike fear into their hearts and waged wars on other nations but a Fire Lord dedicated to protect.

It had been a long, tiring year. Fighting an uphill battle wasn’t easy at all : he was exhausted due to countless sleepless nights that finally took their toll on him, he’d lost weight too, his muscles losing a bit of their definition. _A small loss_ , Zuko said to himself, given that his dedication to the cause had resulted in less tensions. When he walked around in the Capital, he was overjoyed to see colors blending together : blue, green and red united, very similar to the day of his coronation. The very sight of it warmed his heart and gave him courage to carry on. _We’ve come so far already_ , he thought, sighing deeply. 

 

He was supposed to meet with Earth King Kuei in the afternoon to discuss His Majesty’s new Harmony Restoration Movement and if he didn’t get out of bed now, he’d be late. 

Zuko groaned, stretching some more in his bed then getting up to start the day. His sun salutations couldn’t wait anymore and he knew his uncle was waiting for him. 

 

 

A new era was upon them. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A first chapter focused on worldbuilding and description as to really paint a picture to you guys, pick up where the show left us and give some subtle hints at intrigues to come.   
> Shy hints at The Promise with the Harmony Restoration Movement and Kuei.  
> I wanted to highlight what happened off-fic during the first year so as to add to Zuko’s character, for you guys to connect with him and understand his motivations. Do you think I’ve done a good job?  
> Let me know what you think in the comments!


	2. Red-berries fruit tarts

« You should eat more, my nephew. », Iroh said, blowing softly on his fingers where droplets of jasmine-ginseng tea rolled on his wrinkled skin. _It’s a new, promising mixture_ , he had told Zuko at breakfast as the latter rolled his eyes.

The Fire Lord, mumbling under his breath about how he had work to do, grumpily pushed away the half-eaten plate of spicy Komodo chicken a servant had brought to his office earlier but eargerly settled for one of the delicacies meant to be consumed with tea. 

« A sweet tooth is testimony that the soul is just as sweet. » his uncle teased, pushing the full plate of sugary treats near Zuko, hoping the young man would have more. 

He had noticed the changes in Zuko, remnants of his nephew’s sleepless nights still dark under his eyes, the frown on his forehead deepening each day, but the older man struggled to get him to take as little as a day off or to eat properly. 

One night, as Iroh was getting ready to go back to his chambers, the Fire Lord had bowed deeply and thanked him for his care. « I know you’re concerned with me, Uncle, but I have to do this. » His friendship with the Avatar Team and his work as Fire Lord had fixed his misplaced pride and he showed a softer side of himself to his loved ones.

Too tired to retort, Iroh had nodded in understanding, leaving an anxious, overworked Zuko to his tasks. This lead Iroh to conclude that he had to result to more creative solutions. 

In addition to the usual treats, he had arranged for his nephew’s favorite dessert, fruit-tarts, to be specially prepared for the monarch today. 

« Uncle, please, it’s too early for your obscure divagations. », Zuko mumbled again, discretely eyeing the sweets with envy while pretending to focus on his work. 

The strong aromas coming from the apple and cherry tarts distracted him from a file on trade and he hungrily licked his lips. They were his second favorite next to...

« Red-berries flavored tarts! » he exclaimed. « Uncle, you are too good. »

The Fire Lord bended over, selecting a fruit-tart topped with rose petals. 

He barely managed to contain his satisfaction, his palate overwhelmed with the taste of candied fruits and petals. 

He hadn’t had one of these in months, the last time being during a five days visit to the Jang Hui fishing communities in order to set up a massive water-cleaning operation. He had been offered some at the welcoming ceremony and had to physically restrain himself from having too many and appear disrespectful to his hosts. 

Iroh smiled at him. 

« What? », Zuko growled, sensing the other man’s eyes on him as he was shoving another piece of cake in his mouth. 

« A sweet tooth is - », Iroh started but he was quickly stopped by his nephew shouting that he did not have a sweet tooth nor a sweet soul. He was a great leader, a brave warrior and a powerful firebender, not some... some...pretty thing.

« I bet many young men would dare to say the opposite. » Iroh said, finishing his tea.

Zuko groaned, covering his face in embarrassment. He did not wish to speak of this. Especially not with his uncle Iroh who often teased him. 

« Don’t you have other things to do? » he asked, still hiding behind his left hand. 

« I do indeed! A game of Pai Sho! »

The Fire Lord waved a dismissing hand at him.

« You know who is a good Pai Sho player? That Water Tribe boy that you liked so much. Sokka! »

The prince froze, looking alarmingly pale as an amused Dragon of the West left the office.

The firebender concentrated back on his work, silently rehearsing his speech for Earth King Kuei. As much as he wanted to work on his own plans, this was a priority he couldn’t stray away from.

Once he was done with Earth Kingdom business, he set the files aside and focused on his new project : a school reform meaning to abolish the mind-molding process he’d witnessed during the Hundred Year War.  

Zuko was favorable to the development of a strong sense of nationality and loyalty to the Fire Lord to be taught at schools as a way to broaden national communion, spirit and unity, however he was firmly opposed to the rigid methods used, especially those regarding self-expression, censorship and propaganda. He had drafted what he called his Early Years project, a program meant to give Fire Nation children the best start in life in a post-war world. 

From his own experience in the royal household, he knew how vulnerable children were and how their upbringing and family life shaped their adult lives. He wanted to build new foundations for his country, his deepest wish not to forget about the war but to rise above it.

He had a plethora of ideas that he wrote down on an embellished notebook Katara had purchased in an Earth Kingdom village and gifted him along with her last letters.  

He took them out of a locked drawer to read again. The fierce waterbender had been traveling with the Avatar; they met with people from recluse areas, finding out what could be done to ease their lives, meeting Spirit World residents from time to time. _A terrifying experience_ , Katara recounted, telling Zuko about Aang and her’s encounter with gigantic Dragon bird Spirits. 

The Fire Lord was very interested in the creatures, which he wrote to his friend in his reply where he questioned her some more about them. _In what way were they different and similar to the dragons from the physical world? Could her bending work in the spiritual realm and did it affect the dragons?_

He also reaffirmed to his Southern Water Tribe friend his intention to question Ozai about the Air Nomads genocide and find out if Aang was really the sole survivor. 

Katara had written to him, desperate, a few months ago. She explained that the Avatar was secretly looking for Air Nomads and revealed she was worried about him. 

To be honest, Zuko had not started; Ozai, even deprived of his bending and locked away in a cell, still had tremendous power over his insecure son, knowing exactly what buttons to push to mess with his mind like he did with Azula. Zuko feared him, a little less than he did growing up but still, too nervous to even dare go through his father’s belongings in their secondary family home a few hours out of Caldera City, even though he knew that he’d find answers on more than Aang’s interests in the secret rooms of the mansion. 

He wondered how his friends would react when they would hear the news during their next visit to the Fire Nation in a couple of days, on the occasion of his coronation’s commemoration. Zuko was planning to address the nation, to update them on post-war matters and thank them for their understanding and help in restoring balance. 

He sighed, carelessly putting the letters aside in his golden mail sorter. A worn enveloppe fell out of the mix and caused the Fire Lord‘s lips to curl into a soft smile. It was the Gaang’s first letter to him. He did take great care of it but the paper got a bit shabby from time and from Zuko reading it so often. He received it last year, shortly after their departure from the Capital. It read, in everyone’s handwriting but mostly Katara’s :

 

~~_May it please your Majesty,_ ~~

_Dear ~~Hotstuff~~ , ~~Sparky~~ , Zuko,_

 

_We are ever so proud of you. From the moment we became friends to the one you stepped out to deliver that powerful speech at your coronation, we knew you were going to be the best Fire Lord there ever was. ~~Aang cried~~._

_You will make a great leader and help all four nations back to the road of peace and balance. Toph says her feet can feel it from here! Be confident in your abilities, trust yourself ( ~~no more of the fireferret sad face)~~ and know that you can count on us for anything. **Anything**. _

_You’re the hottest thing that came from the Fire Nation._

_See you very soon,_

_Katara, Aang, Toph and Sokka_

 

A post-scriptum read, in Aang’s flowery handwriting : _Don’t lose the picture, Sokka misplaced ours and keeps on blaming poor Momo!_

Another, in Sokka’s : _It wasn’t me!_

And a last one, still bearing the Water Tribe boy’s distinctive penmanship : _I’ll miss you buddy_. 

 

The photograph was intact apart from a scribbled date Zuko added in black ink on the back, _Summer of 100 AG_. All five of them were hugging happily, the grand Royal Plaza behind them. Both Appa the sky bison and Momo the lemur were on the picture : the former, whose head only fit in the frame, was licking Toph whilst the latter was stealing a ripe moon peach from Aang’s paper bag. Sokka held on tightly on Zuko’s hips, nearly mirroring Katara’s hold of the young airbender.

Zuko missed them terribly, and, his eyes lingering on the Water Tribe teen, he realized he missed Sokka the most. 

He knew very little from the warrior’s whereabouts, as his friend didn’t write often; however, he understood, from Aang and Katara’s letters that Sokka had been working hard in the Southern Hemisphere, earning the honorary title of Deputy Chieftain of the Southern Water Tribe and taking after his father Hakoda.

Zuko missed his friend’s laughter, his insane plans, his warm blue eyes, his strong arms... He blushed, secretly happy that no one, especially _not_ Iroh, had seen him. His mind wandered back to Sokka and he found himself thinking about the Water Tribe man’s possessive hand on his body, flushing red crimson like a virgin. Which he was. But whatever. 

The Fire Lord sighed again. Without the counsel of his advisors, he had started working on a reconstruction project for his friend’s clan. The idea had enchanted the chief of the Northern Water Tribe, who expressed her wish to help by allowing benders and healers from her people to visit their sister tribe. 

It was one of Zuko’s most important projects to date and he was impatient to be done with a solid first version that he could present to Hakoda and his people.

The presentation would have to be held at the Southern Water Tribe and would grant him the opportunity to see Sokka. 

He was imagining just how the young Cheftain would help him stay warm in the icy Southern land when a servant opened the door and bowed. 

Zuko quickly covered his papers, a pinkish blush still visible on his cheeks from his daydreaming about Sokka.

He composed himself, welcoming her into his study. The red-gloved woman was bringing a letter and Zuko frowned at the sight of the Earth Kingdom wax seal. His golden eyes quickly read through the letter. Kuei was postponing their meeting, claiming he had pressing business to attend to in the western territories but he sent an ambassador to see to Zuko’s eventual needs about their _joint fight for harmony_ and wished the young man well.

Zuko was puzzled. _Who in Agni’s name could it be?_

He was pondering over who the mysterious representative could be, when he heard a familiar growling noise. 

 

His eyes widened. « Appa! »

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shoutout to the Avatar Wiki community for all their thorough researches on the ATLA franchise; I used their work a lot, especially the Cuisine in the world of Avatar page so as not to steer away from the original material. You might remember the red-berries from the Painted Lady episode!  
> I like the concept of having letters in the story and of Zuko having a sweet tooth; he's such a darling.   
> Did you notice all these details when you were reading? Let me know in the comments!


	3. The indisputable laws of friendship

 

The study’s door slammed open, startling the two guards in the corridor. Zuko emerged, about to dash to his friends when two of his most senior advisors, Lee Fan and Jiru, stopped him, reminding him of his status. 

« You must not break protocol, my Lord. » Jiru started. 

The grey-haired man had been in charge of consolidating Zuko’s knowledge of royal etiquette, endlessly lecturing the teen about how he was _the most important person in the world now_ , after the Avatar, how the nation was always watching and so were his enemies. 

Lee Fan nodded in agreement. 

« When the world watches you, they should not see the child you are, but the Fire Lord. » 

Resisting the irrepressible need to roll his eyes, Zuko only nodded. He knew their speech by heart. It was better to do as they told rather than suffer from more patronizing sayings. 

Lee Fan combed tiny crumbs off Zuko’s robes and inspected his general attire. When she deemed him presentable, they headed in the direction of the garden where the bison had landed, closely followed by armed guards. 

Zuko lead the group, walking fast. The fresh air blowing the hem of his formal robes was proof of The Avatar’s presence. 

The Fire Lord quickened his pace, finally hearing their voices. Katara was praising the beauty of garden, taking deep breaths to smell the flowers as Toph snarkily retorted that she could just see how pretty it was and Aang laughed loudly. 

Having reached Ursa’s garden, Zuko stopped a second to take in the moment. He was no longer alone. His friends were here. Aang, Katara, Toph and... _Sokka?_

« Sparky! » Toph shouted, causing the rest of the group to realize the Fire Lord was present. 

They greeted him with loud cheers and Zuko, forgetting everything his advisors had just told him, flew down the short flight of stairs to welcome his friends. They hugged each other, tightly, as if words couldn’t encapsulate what they felt in this instant. Zuko felt like he could cry however it might have startled Jiru and Lee Fan enough to send them both to an early grave. 

A full year had gone by since the team, technically 4/5 of the team, had been together, each fulfilling their own missions and the firebender had missed them so, so much. 

They had changed a lot, looking more mature although their good-spirited nature was still very discernable. 

Aang was almost the same heigh as him, and Toph had grown a few inches too. Katara was sporting her traditional Water Tribe hair loopies but instead of her signature blue headpiece, her hair was tied with a yellow band marked with the Air Nomads insigna. She blushed when Zuko flashed her a quizzical look. 

Aang spoke first. « Fire Lord Zuko, thank you for allowing us into your home. It is an honor. » They all bowed respectfully at him although Toph had a mocking little grin on her lips. 

Zuko bowed back at them. « The _honor_ is all mine. » he joked. « I wasn’t expecting you so soon. How was your trip? Let me show you to your rooms. Appa must be exhausted, I’ll have someone tend to him right now. » 

He went into the corridor, where the grey-haired duo was hiding in the shadows spying on their beloved monarch, and asked them to have a good meal prepared for tonight and insisted for Appa to be well-cared for. 

He ran back to the garden where the group was chatting vively and the bison grew interest in the pond where a couple of small turtleducks had gathered to look at him. A playful Momo crawled on Zuko’s back, interested in the Fire Lord’s shiny headpiece as the bender showed his friends into the palace. 

The conversation went on nicely as they were all delighted to be reunited, but Zuko couldn’t help but think about the missing man. _Where was Sokka?_  

Aang and Katara told him about how King Kuei had insisted they both stayed at an auxiliary royal residence in the Earth Kingdom as they were done with the last leg of their tour. During their short stay they had met with Toph who was teaching metalbending to people in the nation at Kuei’s request. It was all part of his plan to restore harmony, she explained, shaking her head.

« Oh! » Zuko said, « so _you’re_ the delegate he sent to help. ». She gave him a thumb-up. 

_One less mystery to solve_ , he thought, finally reaching their aisle of the palace. 

He leaded the group into a beautifully-furnished common room that connected four separate bedrooms. According to the Fire Lord’s instructions, a welcome tray full of delicacies from his guests’ home nations was on a table alongside a pitcher of cold water. 

Katara complimented Zuko on the attention, saying he was a good host and earning a faint blush from the Fire Lord before she was pulled away by Aang who wanted to get first dibs on the finest room. Zuko wondered if they would share it, somehow envying the couple’s domesticity and wondered if he would ever get to share a room with Sokka. Not a room like they’d shared at the Air Temple years ago, _although he might settle for this_ , but a couple’s room. A lovers’ room. 

« Thinking about Captain Boomerang, aren’t you Hotstuff? » Toph asked slyly once they were alone. 

He opened his mouth but before he could make up a lie, she stopped him calling him a terrible liar. 

« Don’t even try! I felt your disappointment the second you joined us in the garden. » She tried one of sugar cookies, liking it but judging it inferior to the ones she had at home, and said « Last time I heard of him he was on Kyoshi Island. Probably sucking on Suki’s face, if you ask me. But who wouldn’t, right? She’s so awesome and pretty and strong!» she said, reverentially.

_Right. Great. Toph listing Sokka’s girlfriend’s many qualities was exactly what he needed._  

The young man stared at the carpeted floor, looking miserable and discomfited in a very Zuko-like fashion. He thought his friend had ended things with his Kyoshi Island girlfriend. Well, at least, it’s the impression they had given him last year. _Maybe they got back together?_

He gave a distracted laugh at Toph who was ranting about something to do with her bending school. 

« Are you even listening, Sparky? » she asked, turning to him, expectantly. He hadn’t caught a word of what the teenager had said, his mind still very much on his absent friend and his potential relationship. 

« Um- your students have been bothering you? », he tried, hesitantly. The earthbender laughed. « Nice save Zuko », and, she added, in a lower voice, « however I sense you’d rather talk about someone else. And by someone else I mean a 6 ft, mountain of pure Water Tribe _meat_. » The last word was said with such a dirty undertone that Zuko almost fell from the leather chair armrest he was sitting on. 

« What? I— There isn’t — how dare you—I don’t even know what you’re talking about! » Zuko scoffed with difficulty, his cheeks very hot. 

«  _Wow_ , » Toph said, unimpressed. “You really are a poor liar. How can you even be in politics?” This was harsh coming from the Earth Kingdom girl, who was an excellent liar. Not that she was bragging about it. Which she totally was. Because it wasn’t a flaw in her book. Not at all. It was in fact one of her nicest traits, thank you very much and Zuko was bad at it so she had to tell him, it was one of the many indisputable laws of friendship. _This is constructive criticism_ , she thought to herself, it’s good for him. 

« I try not to lie to my people. That’s how. », he grunted, the thought of Ozai quickly running through his mind. Toph nodded.

« Anyway, how’s the Big Gay Thing™️ going? Have you found someone yet? » 

« I told you not to call it like that! » Zuko answered, exasperated at the teenager.

« But it’s —- it’s going quite, um, terribly. » he whispered, hiding his face into his hands, and proceeded to tell her about all the awful dates with noble men Iroh had tried to set him up with. 

« So you just left him there? That’s not rough enough! » she said, listening to Zuko. He was tempted to ask her what she’d have done in his place but he suspected Toph would have punched the older nobleman straight in the face for touching her inappropriately or literally squished him to bits with a boulder.

« Hey, _I_ could be your wingman. Get you some action, you know what I mean? » she exclaimed, wiggling her eyebrows in a suggestive way.

« Toph! You’re younger than me! »

She quickly dismissed him, starting to  highlight just how her experience would be beneficial to Zuko, and how the people she had liked, _all_ liked her back. She was Earth Kingdom magnet for love and getting some. In addition, she knew Zuko, he was one of her best friends and she wanted to help him find love.

« C’mon it will be fun! And -it would help you get over your big crush on Sokka », she added. 

« I don’t have- it’s not a big crush! » Zuko growled. 

« Yeah, it’s more like a level 10 infatuation. » Toph joked, a smile cracking across her face. She had figured out the Fire Lord’s crush on their friend long ago. Not that it was a hard at all since Zuko was as subtle as a flashing neon sign, with his tender gazes at Sokka and his ridiculous attempts at flirting. She could see it clear as day and she was _blind_. How could Sokka be so oblivious? 

Zuko gave a sort of weird chuckle that turned into a long laugh. « Yeah you’re right. » he told her, laughing some more. Even though Toph hadn’t meant to say it as a joke, she preened, always happy when she made the brooding Fire Lord laugh.

« Why don’t you just ask him out and tell him how you feel? », she asked, shamelessly eating directly from the welcome tray. Zuko’s laugh trailed off into something more awkward as he explained that Sokka was his best friend and he didn’t want to make things weird between them. After a short pause, he continued, « And, I don’t think that _I-cant-stop-thinking-about-breasts_ Sokka would be into that... sort of thing, » as he gestured aggressively and sexually all at the same time. _Thank Agni Toph couldn’t see this_. But she nodded understandingly, Sokka did talk a lot about breasts. 

A frown formed on her eyebrows. « You could tell him that you’re very good at that... », mimicking all of Zuko’s crazy gestures, « and maybe he’d be interested? ».

He looked at her as if she was insane, horrified at the very idea, but added, very shyly, « Well, I’m still— I’m -inexperienced so... ». 

He knew how things were supposed to... work, remembering an embarrassing talk he’d been given once. Possibly the worst day of his life. But he didn’t have any... practice.

« Awww the Fire Lord is a _vir_ -» she started crooning, teasingly. 

« Please, don’t » he faltered, looking away sadly. Zuko truly wished for intimacy, to have someone he could count on and love. Thinking about Aang and Katara, he thought he’d like something like what they had : a strong love, pure and honest. The great halls of the palace could get very lonely and although he still had a few friends in the Fire Nation —Mai and Ty Lee—, he spent most of his days around older people and didn’t really have someone to confide in. 

The earthbender reached for his face, poking him. « Didn’t I tell you to stop with the sad koalasheep face? » 

« Actually, I believe you said fireferret face. » They both laughed, although it wasn’t enough to completely get rid of Zuko’s expression. 

Aware that the Fire Lord was still brooding, she threw a biscuit at his head, startling him. 

In retaliation, he threw a fluffy pillow back at her, almost breaking the crystal water jug. The childish quarrel morphed into a full-scale pillowfight when the couple from the other room, drawn in by the noise, joined in. 

Zuko hadn’t had that much fun in years. And upon seeing him laughing at Katara, whose forehead he had just hit after she  splashed water at him, Toph thought to herself that Zuko deserved this. 

She had lied to him earlier; it wasn’t disappointment that she first felt when they met in the garden but the great anguish coursing through the Fire Lord’s body. 

 

A soft knock at the door caused the ruckus to quiet down. A servant appearded, waiting for Zuko to acknowledge her.

« I’m ever so sorry to interrupt Your Greatness, my Lord, but you are expected in the Audience Room. » 

The Fire Lord excused himself, apologizing to his friends whom he had kept from resting after their long journey, and demanded they attend supper with him tonight if they were up to it, of course. 

He left the common room, smiling lightly and rolling his eyes as he heard Toph warn him that his sheets had better be more comfortable than Appa’s fur. He'd laughed so sparingly in recent times that he had almost forgotten how good it felt.

As he walked happily in the corridor, the Fire Lord felt like he could breathe again. 

 

He had completely forgotten about Sokka’s absence. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love Toph! If I existed in the ATLA series, I’d definitely be an earthbender. I’ve tried to stick to her cheeky, boorish character as displayed in the cartoon but also included elements showing her growth such as her deep friendship with Zuzu and her newfound softness. Do you think she’s out of character or have I represented her in a good way?  
> Also introduction of two very minor characters. I originally named the lady Lan Fan but I remembered that name was already in Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood, lol.  
> Let me know what you think in the comment.


	4. The Fire Lord's Love

 

The group accepted Zuko’s offer to have dinner with him, and to share breakfast again in the morning, eating with good appetite and a great sense of togetherness. The Fire Lord had opted for a less formal day attire, swapping his red and gold robes for a more casual outfit, and wore his hair in a slick half-up, half-down style that was elevated by his headpiece.

Lee Fan, who had accompanied him on his sun salutations, hadn’t been too happy about it, giving him the everlasting speech on greatness and how it is visible in one’s clothing. But Zuko was Fire Lord after all and in the end, he could do as he pleased. And what he wanted was to match with the Gaang’s laid back demeanor and make them feel welcome; his coronation’s anniversary wasn’t before a couple of days, he had handled all most pressing affairs so he could afford a relaxing morning, right? 

The Fire Lord was happy to have his closest friends as guests at his table : Katara was feeding pieces of sweet mango to Momo as Aang was chugging down an insane amount of veggie dumplings. An half-asleep Toph was silent next to them, sipping tea, shutting down all attempts to converse with her. 

When the teen’s body tensed up, her feet turning to the massive wooden door, Zuko thought someone would come in but when nothing happened he resorted back to his conversation with the others.

« Do you think we could visit the market and Plaza this afternoon, Zuko? When we flew in on Appa yesterday, there seemed to be something going on. » the waterbender said, recalling the colorful fanions she had seen from above. The Avatar nodded, backing her up, and saying that they’d also love to see how the Capital had changed in a year. 

Zuko agreed, saying that he needed to go into town anyway in order to see how the preparations were going. 

They were deciding on what to do first, Aang wanting to bulk up on flaming fire flakes, when the door opened, letting in a servant followed by two other people.

« Master Sokka, Cheftain of the Southern Water Tribe and Lady Suki, Leader of the Kyoshi Warriors. » 

Zuko’s heart leaped through his chest at the sight of the other man and before he knew it, he was up, bowing to the newcomers who returned the respectful gesture to him.

Vivid greetings were exchanged. Katara ran to her brother, nearly knocking him off to the ground. They hugged affectionately as Toph gave Suki a friendly punch joking that she knew they were on their way, having heard their massive feet stomping the ground. Aang and Momo were merrily dancing around them, chanting that they were all reunited at last. 

Zuko didn’t really know what to do with himself, unable to stop staring at Sokka who was now coming his way. 

The young man bowed again, lower this time. « Fire Lord Zuko, it’s a pleasure to be here. » His voice had gotten _so deep_. In fact, Sokka had changed a lot, Zuko realized, surprised at the difference a year had made in the young man. 

He had shot up at least a good three inches, making him taller than Zuko and his time at the Water Tribe had defined his muscles, his body now more muscular than before. And this definitely didn’t make Zuko’s mouth dry. Not at all.

The prince realized he was staring and that the other man was awaiting an answer. 

« I’m happy to welcome you. And your guest. » he said, glancing quickly at Suki who was still chatting with the happy group who on the other side of the room. 

« I like what you’ve done to your hair. » Sokka said, assessing himself the changes the year had made in Zuko. He added, touching the silky ends of Zuko’s long black hair, « It suits you really nicely. » 

« I like you —-r hair too » the blushing Fire Lord blurted stupidly, gesturing at Sokka’s warrior’s wolf tail. His friend beamed at him and _Agni he was even more beautiful when he smiled_ , Zuko thought, still staring at the nonbender. 

The Water Tribe man was about to say something when Suki interrupted them, personally greeting the Fire Lord again. Zuko immediately pulled himself back together, greeted Suki and asked for more food to be brought. This rejoiced Aang and Sokka, who sat down and started eating loudly, prompting Katara to ask if they were having a competition on who would make the most noise. 

« How can you eat so much? » she asked them, exasperated. 

« But I’m hungry! » they answered childishly at the same time and laughing because they were in synch. Katara rolled her eyes and waterbended the last piece of meat out of her brother’s hand and ate it, prompting the Water Tribe man to loudly voice his discontentment. Sokka yelled but Katara didn’t ever bother to acknowledge him and started talking to Suki. Toph leaned into Zuko, asking if the monarch was sure this was the right man for him. 

After they had eaten enough food for a regiment of Zuko's soldiers, the Fire Lord informed his new guests of the group’s plan to take a walk in the Capital, saying he’d be pleased if they came along. 

Just like that they were walking to the Capital’s crowded marketplace. The place was superbly decorated; flags, garlands and other decorations floated in the air. There were a lot of food stands and areas for entertainment amongst which they saw puppeteers, street painters, drama troops, and a couple of gambling tables where cards players were sitting. Katara and Toph were interested in watching a show which about to start while Aang wanted to have a go at the facepainting stand and Sokka voiced his interest to window-shop. They decided to split : Aang, Katara and Toph would go one way while Zuko, Sokka and Suki would go the other way.

Zuko, unsure of what he should say to the light-spirited couple, walked slowly behind them while they looked at shops windows. No matter how hard Sokka would try to include him in the conversation by being his zealous, annoying self, the prince felt like a thirdwheel. He tried to focus on his busy surroundings, watching children happily playing a game of Hide and Explode, but every time his eyes would turn back to Suki and Sokka. The two were chatting lightly, sometimes reminiscing their time together during the past year. 

The Fire Lord was seething with quiet resentment. He’d known Sokka for longer than the Kyoshi Warrior, for Agni’s sake. Well, yeah they weren’t friends at first. And he did follow the Gaang to Kyoshi Island to kidnap them but water under the bridge, right? He should the one making... kissy faces at Sokka and giving him amourous nudges. 

He followed them into a weapons shop at Suki’s demand. Upon seeing the Great Fire Lord entering his humble shop, the merchant and his family bowed down to the prince in respect and to his friends. 

An impressive Fire Nation weapons collection covered the walls to the three warriors’ delight. It ranged from melee weapons to ranged ones but also featured artillery, explosives and armors. 

Both Suki and Sokka practically leaped from one side of the shop to the other, swinging a few swords at each other with dexterity and having fun. 

Zuko was observing a strange display case containing a series of poisons from the village of Hira’a when the shop owner approached him, looking terrified and proud all at once. « Your Excellence will see that we backed his reconciliation policy by adding numerous weapons from the other nations so that our guests may feel welcome when they’re here. »

He showed Zuko to a small collection of foreign arms in display cases, some that the Fire Lord from previous encounters and others brand new to him. The others got closer to them to admire the weapons and immediately started to try them out, happy to see items from their birthplaces. An excited gasp came from Suki. With glowing eyes, she looked at a set of dual katanas on the wall placed on a tapestry. Wu took them off the wall and the excited customer tried them with even more skill the Zuko remembered her having. « You’re good! » the owner praised, « I’ll let it go for a good price. » But she shook her head defeatedly. « I can’t afford th— ». 

« Let me get it for you. » Zuko suddenly blurted. The other three looked at him, surprised to hear him say something since he’d hardly said a word since he entered the shop. Since the group had split up at the market, actually. The Kyoshi Warrior beamed, absolutely cheerful, thanking him over and over again. He didn’t really know why he offered to pay, equally as surprised as the others. Wasn’t Suki his rival? After all, she was (presumably) dating the man Zuko was deeply in love with. But she was also his friend —kind of. They had shared good moments during the war and even after... and her happiness would most definitely lead to Sokka’s. That was horribly selfish, wasn’t it? He was overthinking. 

As he pulled out his golden coins pouch and paid for the swords, leaving good tip for Wu, he noticed Sokka was staring at him with a strange look in eyes. 

« Why are you staring? » he hissed at the Water Tribe man, somewhat uncomfortable under his deep gaze. Sokka shrugged it off saying he was actually watching past Zuko, at something else. Thanking Wu for his help, they headed back into the vibrant market. Suki was still in awe of her new gift, twirling around and holding them close.

Noticing a food stand, Sokka grabbed them both by the arms. But as he was running to order some sizzle-crisps, he abruptly stopped and pointed at a poster. 

« Zuko...» he said, barely containing his growing laughter. « Zuko, is that you? ».

He was gawking at a cheesy poster promoting a play called _The Firelord’s love_ and on which a Zuko lookalike was looking into the distance, in a dramatic pose. The synopsis read :

_A nation. A man. A mysterious lover._  

_Sacred head of the nation at just 17, Fire Lord Zuko poured all his energy into his country’s welfare. However, when his young heart experienced the flutter of love for the first time, he was forced to choose between the two._

_Will Fire Lord Zuko pick love over his faithful nation? Or will he serve it despite a broken heart?_

_Currently at the Great Royal Roku’s Hall, Capital City Market._

The two nonbenders erupted into a loud laugh, causing red-dressed pedestrians to throw them strange, amused looks. Zuko was convinced if he actually rolled his eyes one more time today, he’d die. 

He took the poster down, rolled it and hit Sokka’s head with it. « That’s. Not. Me », he said, punctuating each word with a thump but Suki and Sokka laughed even harder, literally rolling on the floor. 

« I- I don’t have a mysterious man! » he yelled, shaking his fists. Sokka wanted nothing more than to keep pestering Zuko. The Fire Lord’s cheeks would take such a sweet shade of pink. _Like a ripe lychee nut_. But he wasn’t the intuition guy for nothing, reading his friend’s annoyance in Zuko’s furrowed eyebrows and tight lips. Also, not wanting to have a fire blast blowing his head off dancing dragons style, he stopped.

« Ok buddy. Now stop being such a sour catsake and let’s go eat something. »

« I‘m not being a catsnake! » Zuko protested, a little petulantly.

« Yes you are. » Sokka winked. There was something so infinitely tender in his voice that Zuko understood his friend wasn’t mocking him anymore. 

As they walked to the food stand, the conversation was light again and the three of them were talking and laughing. There they met with the rest of the group who were ordering beverages and chatting with a slightly older man whom they had just formed a new acquaintance with.

« General Zhai! » Zuko exclaimed, taking a few steps forward to shake his hand. 

« Zuko! » the man smiled, immediately accepting the handshake. « I see you’re finally taking a day off. » he teased. « Your uncle must be thrilled. » 

They were about to continue their smalltalk when Zuko felt the group’s five sets of eyes watching them, puzzled. 

« Uhh — General Zhai is- »

The man stopped him, whispering that it was _just Zhai_ and Zuko started again, obviously flustered. 

« —Zhai is helping me with an important school reform project. He has more insight than I could ever have on certain matters and he makes a great addition to my cabinet. » 

At this, the Fire Nation man smiled, visibly happy to have the Fire Lord speak of him in such eloquent, positive terms.

« Don’t listen to him. Out of us all, Zuko is doing the most. The Early Years plan he’s crafted was already so brilliant that I didn’t do much. » he assured, stroking the smaller man’s back. 

« Well, that didn’t stop you from striking clause 1.1.8. » the young Fire Lord answered, a small grin on his lips. 

« Oh not _this_ again. That’s because it’s not applicable within the current parameters of the —. » 

The two bickered with such familiarity that  Zuko didn’t feel his mates’ quizzical looks.

However, when the waitress finally brought the beverages and treats the group had ordered, they were left to their diplomatic banter whilst the others chatted with animation. 

« Anyway. The Prince’s Trust foundation is holding a gala in a few weeks both to launch the project and congratulate our Fire Lord for his great first year. With your permission Zuko, I would like to invite your friends to attend if they’re still in town. We’d be very pleased to also host the Avatar, » he said, looking at Aang who was slurping his noodles soup, his facepaint almost wiped off by the food. 

« I believe we’ll still be in town at the moment, right Sweetie? » Katara asked. The airbender agreed. 

« We will, we plan to tour the area for a bit. Also I don’t think Momo has had enough of the Fire Nation’s treats yet. » he laughed, looking at Momo who was eyeing the fruits on a plate. 

The waitress showed up again, interrupting their conversation to present them with a hefty tab which Zhai paid without even raising en eyebrow.

« I have a meeting later so I must leave now but I hope to see you all very soon. »

He got up and, with a last word murmured to Zuko and a last stroke on the Fire Lord’s back, he walked away as the group silently watched him leave. 

Breaking the silence, Toph deadpanned : «  _Wow_ , that guy wants to go at it with you like a rabbitmouse. » 

She couldn’t see the group’s horrified faces but she certainly heard Zuko shut her up and screaming that Toph this is unacceptable, Zhai my literal employee, and a friend and you’re never to say that ever again do you understand? 

At that he left and headed back to the Palace. But the earthbender insisted, screaming that she was positive Zhai would help him with his V-card which only only seemed to make him run away faster. 

                                                                                                                               

* * *

 

Hours later, Katara found him in the garden next to the pond, feeding its fluffy-tailed inhabitants. Zuko greeted her with a small sound. He’d been sitting there since he got back from the marketplace, unable to focus on work. Unable to focus on anything really, as his mind kept running back to Sokka and Suki, to what Toph had said about Zhai and everything else. _So much for a day off_ , he thought.

The blue-eyed girl sat next to him on the grass. They didn’t say anything for a long moment and just listened to the sound of the water where little waves were forming due to the creatures’ tails waggling and Katara’s waterbending. 

« I like what you’ve done with this place. » she said, running her hand in the water. He thanked her but commented that it had been Iroh’s idea to re-implant animals in the pond and that he was the one who took care of the garden in between two games of Pai Sho and a cup of tea. 

The waterbender laughed at that, well-aware of Zuko’s uncle habits for he had asked her and Aang to play with him yesterday after dinner, but it wasn’t enough to break the uncomfortable atmosphere between her and the Fire Lord. 

Zuko knew why she was there. He knew she wanted to ask him if he’d kept his word and confronted Ozai about the Air Nomads genocide but he couldn’t bring it up for some reason. 

« I’ve noticed the ribbon in your hair... » he mouthed, breaking the silence. « It’s nice. » 

She thanked him quietly, her lips curling into a small private smile. 

« I was a bit unsure at first. » she started, frowning. « I guess I was afraid of what you guys would say. But Aang insisted on me wearing and I like it. » She continued in a small voice, saying that it was in many ways very similar to Water Tribes‘ own ways of courting. 

« So I take it everything is going well between you two? » the Fire Lord inquired.

« Yes, everything is well. » Then with a frown mixed with an amused expression, she joked « Except when he’s just as annoying as Sokka. » 

That was enough to dissipate the tension between them and make the firebender laugh and relax. He thanked her for her many letters during the past year, saying it was a nice gesture from her and that it helped him cope with his loneliness. They talked about the couples’ plans for the following days and weeks but after a quiet a moment, she spoke tentatively. 

« Have you— Do you remember that letter I sent you, Zuko? »

He gave a fake small chuckle, « Which one? The one about almost being killed by Dragon bird Spirits? »

He knew exactly what she was referring to and that wasn’t it. He saw in her clenched jaw and tight-lipped smile that she wasn’t amused about it. 

« Have you asked your dad about the Air Nomads? »

He shook his head, refusing to meet her piercing, angry gaze. 

« Zuko! You promised you’d do it! »

« I know Katara. I’ve just been so busy... ». That was the poorest excuse he could manage and clearly, it didn’t cut through the waterbender’s anger but rather fueled it.

« Busy? » she scoffed. « You think you’re the only one who’s been busy this year? We’ve all been busy! Aang and I have worked so hard this year to bring back peace. To restore a balance that _your_ people disrupted if I may remind you! » she yelled, openly pointing at his chest. 

The pond water trembled and so did Katara’s lips. 

« How can you be so selfish when you know Aang had to start from scratch? His people, his culture, his heritage were all wiped away when he was still stuck in that iceberg! »

She was furious, her chest rising with anger and her tone accusatory.

« We had to take a whole week off to find the right fibers for him to sew his own Air Nomad attire because he couldn’t buy one anywhere —the very same attire he will wear for your coronation anniversary. I know you think that you’re lonely Zuko but so is he! He’s left alone to celebrate Air Nomad traditions, he can’t even make his favorite dishes and I love him but I can _never_ give him that. »

The Fire Lord looked at her contorted face to see she was fighting back tears. 

« I just want to be sure and so does Aang. You gave us your word and we trusted you! »

Zuko felt his heart flutter at that, remembering that it wasn’t the first time he had broken Katara’s trust in him, and he tried to apologize but she stopped him and left, saying that she didn’t want to hear his lousy excuse.

                              

* * *

 

The Fire Lord grunted loudly, his hands clutching at the garden grass. _Why am I so bad at being good?_ , he asked to himself. Maybe he was just bad. Just bad, like Ozai.

He was laying on the grass, angry at himself when a voice interrupted him.

« Hey buddy. Having a internal crisis over there? »

Sokka was standing in front of him, offering his a hand to get back up. He took it and combed the herb off of his pants. 

« I take it being the Fire Lord isn’t that glamorous. » the Water Tribe man joked, purposefully concealing the fact that he’d their shouts and seen Katara storm off. Zuko mumbled something under his breath, looking down.

« We watched that play if that makes you better. » Sokka continued, trying to get a reaction out of his friend. It worked.

« How is this supposed to make me feel better » Zuko bit back, rolling his eyes. 

« Don’t you wanna know if you found _love_? » the tanned man teased, wiggling his eyebrows. 

« It depends. Do you want a punch in the face? »

Sokka’s laughed filled the garden, startling the turtleducks in the distance. 

« Ok you catsnake, just calm down. »

« I am calm! » Zuko answered, his voice rising significantly. 

That was an obvious, massive lie. He wasn’t calm.  At all. He’d just had an awful fight with one of his closest friends a day before coronation’s anniversary, he was stressed from a tiring year of hard work and solitude, he was worried about his speech, he was jealous at a girl who didn’t deserve it and to top it all, he was desperately in love with his best friend. The very same best friend who was staring at him, slightly worried. 

« You’re way too tense, buddy. Wanna spar? »

Zuko hesitated for a short second.

« C’mon Zuko. We’ll have fun and I’ll even let you kick my ass. »

The Fire Lord laughed at that. « As if I needed your permission for that. » 

Sokka clutched at his chest, feigning hurt but then grinned, « How about we find out? »

Once they’d fetched their equipment from their quarters, they headed to the recluse sparring area, chatting lightly.

Sokka told his friend about the new sword he had made while on his year off at home, in the Southern Water Tribe. He had decorated its sheath with bones from a snow serpent. 

« Nasty creatures they are. They only come up to the surface once every two months during the worst of snowstorms. »  Zuko listened in silence. « And they do put up a good fight » he added, showing his friend a healed mark on his brown skin. « But their bones are as solid as the strongest rock. » 

The Fire Lord was captivated by Sokka’s tale of adventurous encounters in the South Pole, his wish to visit the place growing even stronger. 

« Do you want to hold it? » 

Surprised by the question, Zuko only managed to nod, reaching out to touch the object Sokka was now presenting to him. 

He ran a hesitant finger on the brand new jian sword, his fingers following the wavy line of gold filigrane that was running in its center. The white blade was ice cold, sending shivers down Zuko’s spine. It was truly a work of beauty. 

« What it is made of? » Zuko asked, raising his head to face Sokka, but his hand still on the weapon.

« It’s made from a South Pole winter star. I watched it fall next to my campsite at home months ago. »

Bewitched, Zuko tentatively touched the thick blue haft, his hands hovering lightly over Sokka’s. 

« It’s beautiful —- I’ve never seen anything like this. » he said softly, looking into the other man’s eyes. He hadn’t realized they had stopped. Sokka gave him a big smile.

« Well, it _is_ from the Water Tribe after all!» he boasted, winking at Zuko and giving him brotherly slap on the back, ending the moment they were sharing.

Having reached the training site, they got ready for sparring, taking their shirts off.

Sokka’s eyes followed Zuko’s fingers as the smaller man readjusted his headpiece, the indigna-shaped crown having moved when Zuko got undressed.

« You should take it off » he suggested, brandishing his sword in the direction of the jewel. 

« Ha, trying to get me to lose by having my hair bothering me? I don’t think so. » the Fire Lord joked. « I want to see your face when you lose. »

At that, he pounced at his opponent, his dual broadswords ripping the air next to Sokka’s ears. The other man dodged the Fire Lord’s attack with a graceful somersault then fought back ferociously. Sokka was faster and quicker on his feet than before, his fighting style having changed just like him. To a certain extent, it included elements from the Kyoshi Warriors fighting style, Tessenjutsu. Zuko gathered that his friend must have been training a lot with Suki during their stay at Kyoshi Island. _They probably made out too_ , he thought, remembering Toph’s remark the other day. 

It angered him, making his blows powerful but sloppy and imprecise. Sokka noticed it, taking the opportunity to target one of Zuko’s swords and breaking it thus forcing the other man to fight with an individual blade. 

The Fire Lord stared at the shattered pieces of metal, unable to hide his astonishment.

« Forgot to tell you? This blade can cut through anything. » Sokka taunted loudly.

Zuko growled, angry to have lost one of his swords. Angry at Sokka. Angry at himself. 

Despite having seen the Fire Lord fight with just one of his swords, Sokka teased him again, « Wanna forfait, buddy? »

« You wish. It’s one half of a single weapon » the golden-eyed prince snarled back at his friend, clashing their swords together and flashing him a savage, cocky smirk.

Fueled with white anger, he was now dominating the fight, anticipating every single one of Sokka’s moves and parrying them all. 

His opponent was getting tired and Zuko could feel it. _He was so going to win this_ , he smiled, impatient to wipe the floor with the nonbender and gloat.

However, he failed to notice Sokka’s grin, the very same he bore when he had a plan. The tanned man allowed Zuko to gain ground and the prince, sensing his close victory, followed and got closer. 

But just as he was about to deliver his ultimate blow, Sokka pulled at Zuko’s headpiece, successfully taking it off thus distracting the scarred firebender. 

The rapid diversion happened to be Zuko’s undoing as it gave the Water Tribe man just enough time to completely disarm his friend and tackle him.

Zuko, overwhelmed, fell flat on the ground, his wrists pinned on either side of his head, Sokka crushing him. 

He fought back, trying to free his hands but the other man was immovable, pinning Zuko down with the sheer power of his weight. 

They stared into each other’s eyes, both trying to control their breathing. Sokka was _heavy_ over Zuko. 

« You cheated so —I still win. » Zuko panted.

« I have you pinned to the ground. » Sokka answered, rolling his hips into Zuko’s for good measure. 

A soft moan unwillingly escaped Zuko’s lips and Sokka slowly got closer to his friend’s reddened face. 

_Oh Agni, Sokka was going to kiss him._

But the Water Tribe boy whispered instead, « You should’ve have taken it off. » 

_Wait, what?_ Zuko blinked repeatedly. Sokka must’ve read his confused face because he reiterated, getting even closer to Zuko’s scarred face. « I said you should’ve taken the crown off. I like your hair like this. » 

Zuko’s heart was beating so fast, he thought he was going to combust at any moment. 

Someone coughed over them. In perfect synch, they both looked over their shoulders to find a smirking Suki. « Hey boys. Having fun? »

Sokka quickly got back up and landed a self-conscious Zuko a helping hand. « Just sparring off some pent up tension. » Sokka smiled, scratching the back of his head.

« I can see that. » she teased again, eyes lowering to Zuko’s trousers and oh— _oh Agni, this was the worst day of his life_. 

Zuko fled to his chambers, ignoring Suki and Sokka calling after him. 

 

He missed dinner that night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hands down my favourite chapter to write. The breakfast scene where Aang and Sokka just stuff their faces, the market scene with Wu’s weapon shop and the play.  
> Very unsure about that fight scene with Katara (I don’t like when my kids fight) but I wanted to highlight Aang and her’s developing relationship, her protectiveness over him, paint a picture of what their year was like and above all show that, although Zuko is the focus of this story, the other characters also go through a lot and have their own problems.   
> What do you think about it?   
> I love, love, love the sparring scene with its off-the-roof sexual tension. I was actually inspired by Avatarninja post on Tumblr so shoutout to them.   
> Let me know what you think in the comments!


	5. A safety net

Zuko had breakfast very early so as to be sure he wouldn’t have to face his friends. He knew from their stay at the Air Temple last year before the passage of Sozin’s Comet that they didn’t like waking up at dawn, especially Sokka who would complain endlessly about it.

Still ashamed of yesterday’s events, the Fire Lord had his advisors pack up his schedule, pretexting to Jiru and Lee Fan who thought it too reckless to have so many engagements on the eve of his coronation’s anniversary, that the nation would see in this the dedication of their Fire Lord. They seemed very pleased at that and did as they were told, planning him a busy day with meetings to discuss the new path to follow as he entered his second year as Fire Lord and last minute audiences with Fire Nation people in recognition of their services in carrying out the prince’s reconciliation policy. 

It was working. 

He’d spent most of the morning and afternoon behind the massive closed doors of the throne room, successfully avoiding his friends. _Sokka wasn’t the only one who could craft a good plan_ , he thought proudly at first but now that his mind had wandered to the Water Tribe man, he couldn’t help but recall what had happened last night. 

What had Sokka thought of his wantonness? 

Zuko didn’t know much about the Southern Water Tribe traditions and their opinion on same-sex relationships but they were anything like the Fire Nation’s past views, Sokka was probably disgusted with him and angry at him for making things awkward between them. 

In addition of that, Katara had probably told him and the rest of the group about their fight and they all hated him now. Because what good was he, for his friends, for his nation, if couldn’t be trusted? If he constantly made the same errors? He’d end up like his father. 

Pacing the marble floor, with his hands on his forehead, the young Fire Lord felt like he was losing his mind.

He decided to head back to his office to work on something, anything, to calm his racing mind when he bumped into a sheepish Suki who was coming out of the library, closely followed by a red-faced but jolly Ty Lee. 

He muttered an apology and was already taking a step back when Ty Lee grabbed his arm. 

« Oh Zuko, we haven’t seen you in ages! Are these two advisors of yours keeping you too busy? » she said, holding him tight. 

Not letting him any time to form a coherent answer, she prattled about how her aura was very pink today and she could feel his being all dark and grey and she couldn’t let this happen to one of her dearest friends. 

« You should come out to the city with us, there will be fireworks in your honor tonight. It’s going to be fantastic! »

Preoccupied with his own affairs, Zuko had completely forgotten about this. His uncle Iroh and the people of the Capital had arranged for a swarm of fireworks to lit up the sky at night to officially launch the celebrations of his coronation anniversary. 

He was still unsure if he wanted to attend. If he did his guards would be forced to come too in order to ensure his safety and as a result they wouldn’t be able to enjoy the evening which Zuko was certain they wanted to spend with their families and not with some broody teenager. 

He concentrated back on what the pink-dressed woman was saying. 

For some obscure reason, Ty Lee was positively happy (more than usually) and Zuko didn’t want to sadden her so he managed a feeble, confused answer. 

It seemed to be enough for the Fire Nation girl because she left, hopping around in the hallway, chanting to herself that today was the best day ever.

An uncomfortable silence stretched between Zuko and the Kyoshi Warrior who were still staring at the end of the hallway where Ty Lee had disappeared. 

« She’s the reason I came here. I wanted to ask her to join the Kyoshi Warriors officially and to spend some time on the island with me. » Suki said calmly as she turned to face the Fire Lord.

Zuko frowned. Did she not come as a way to make Sokka and her’s relationship public to their friends? 

« My heart is over there on Kyoshi but Ty Lee was here in the Fire Nation so I figured I’d come and ask her to join me. »

With a final, mysterious smile to Zuko she added, « I guess Sokka and I both came here for the same reasons. »

She walked away, leaving the young firebender even more confused.

                             

* * *

 

Later in the evening, as the Fire Lord was taking a walk after a solitary supper in his office, he heard light footsteps behind him. Thinking at first it was an attack, he tensed, ready to blast a fire attack at his opponent but calmed down when he realized it was just Momo. He gave a little laugh.

« Oh, it’s just you. », Zuko said. The winged lemur climbed on the man’s robes, looking to be pet for a bit. The Fire Lord ran a gentle hair through the animal’s soft fur. But just as he was starting to relax, soothed by Momo’s sounds of contentment, Aang jumped down from a tree and startled him. 

« And me! », the airbender yelled, throwing his head back in laughter. « It’s a new tactic I’ve planned to surprise people. »

« And how’s it working so far? » Zuko asked, amused at the teenager’s delight in his own plan. 

Aang assured him it was working quite well. He’d tried out so far on three of Zuko’s guards, a couple of cooks and servants, Sokka (who nearly threw a fit) and Toph. But for some reason it didn’t work on her. 

The younger man then proceeded to tell Zuko all about his day with the others : they’d gone out for lunch at Iroh’s favorite restaurant in the Capital, went back to the marketplace where Toph won 15 consecutive games of shell before Suki had to physically keep her away from the gambling tables, they visited the botanical gardens Katara went berserk at a zookeeper for being to rough with the animals, had tea at Ty Lee’s.

As he listened with great care to The Avatar, Zuko grew frustrated to have missed such a good day out with his friends, a small pout forming on his face.

« You should turn that frown upside down, your Majesty! It’s happy time! », Aang said. Zuko rolled his eyes but managed a small smile.

« Thanks for egg custard tarts at dinner. I had forgotten how nice they tasted. », The Avatar added, licking his lips as if to remember the taste of the egg-custard-filled baked pastry. 

Reading his friend’s surprised expression, the airbender added. « Your uncle Iroh told me it was your idea to have them prepared. How did you know they were my favorite? »

« Katara told me. » the Fire Lord answered, looking down. « Did she — did she tell you about yesterday? »

Aang nodded, a point of sadness in his brown eyes. « She did tell me. »

« I— am so sorry Aang. I’m no better than my father. » He broke down in front of his friend, wrapping his pale arms around himself. « I wish I could undo it all. I wish I had— »

The Fire Lord was unable to finish his sentence, his whole body now shaking under the force of his sobs. He cried for a long moment, soothed only by the Avatar’s hand on his shoulder and Momo’s tugging on his robes.

« I understand how you feel Zuko. It’s okay. None of this was your fault. It was I who left the world to its destruction because I was afraid and my fear is no different than the one that you feel now. But now it’s okay, we’re both doing our share in restoring the balance of the universe. And you’re nothing like Ozai. »

But at that the Fire Lord shook his head and freed his shoulder from his friend’s grasp. 

« No. Even now, after everything that’s happened, my family’s legacy is still a part of me. » he said, wiping away his tears and drying his face on his robes’s golden sleeves.

« It’s my duty to heal the scars that the fire Nation has left in the world. But the Fire Lord’s throne comes with a lot pressures... Everyday the choices get more difficult, the decisions get harder and I’m not sure — and I’m not sure I can do this without help... I can’t. »

He frowned, his expression hardening.

« And if I’m honest with myself, I need a safety net. That’s what I need you to be, Aang. The safety net. You have to promise me you won’t let me become like my father? And if—if I do, you have to promise me you’ll end my life. »

Aang gasped in surprise, horror and shock. « Zuko, you’re not your dad! And you’re my friend! How can you expect me to... »

But the Fire Lord stopped him. « As your friend, I’m asking you. If you ever see me go bad, end me. Promise me, Aang. »

There was such an unshakable willpower in his friend’s eyes that Aang knew Zuko wouldn’t settle until the airbender had said yes.

The Avatar reluctantly agreed.

 

When Aang left to saddle Appa so that he could go watch the fireworks at the festival with the others, Zuko finally felt at peace with himself. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again massive hints at The Promise. Some lines are literally extracted from the comics. I wanted a Aang/Zuko scene where the Fire Lord confides in him and his friend try to cheer him up. I like their dynamic —but it was a bit hard to convey it as it shown in the series.   
> Also special mention to Ty Lee and Suki. I know Ty Lee is technically already part of the Kyoshi Warrior at the end of Book 3, but I've bended the story a bit to make it work my way. What do you think of this pairing?  
> Let me know in the comments!


	6. Saving Zuko

 

Zuko inhaled deeply, taking in the morning air as he completed his sun salutations. He’d slept better last night than all the nights before, having found comfort in Aang’s promise to him that he will never let the firebender become like his father, Ozai. 

As a result of their discussion, Zuko felt more relaxed for the day’s big event. He read his notes making last minute changes to his speech and paid very little attention to Lee Fan who was combing his long hair into the traditional Fire Nation topknot and Jiru who was on one of his long rants about the greatness of the Fire Lord and the might of the nation. 

As the grey-haired lady secured the five-pronged golden headpiece into his hair, the Fire Lord took a good look at himself in the mirror. He hadn’t actually been in full dress since his coronation last year, favoring his day-to-day robes who had a more modern and more flattering cut over it. 

The robes when added to the armor were heavy and could get uncomfortable if he stood for too long in the same position, which he was sure to do today as he had a posing session scheduled with an artist commissioned by the City Council to make a portrait of the Fire Lord.

He posed in the throne room for an hour or two, enough to give the artist a bit of time to come up with a good first sketch and then had lunch on his own in the banquet room. 

It was tradition for the Fire Lord to spend the morning before the ceremony alone. _To reflect on the great chance and responsibility that was being the head of such a powerful nation_ as Jiru put it. The rule had been established during Sozin’s time as head of state and Zuko was now following it although he wished his friends had stopped by to see him before the grand ceremony. It would definitely have eased his nerves. Even an enigmatic saying from his uncle would’ve helped him calm his racing mind. 

Zuko chuckled bitterly at his own indecision : yesterday he did everything in his power to avoid them and today he wished nothing more than to see them, even a short moment. He’d have broken tradition for them without batting an eyelash.

He took a walk outside. The hallways were deserted, most of his staff having left to see to the preparations in the Plaza apart from invisible guards who Zuko couldn’t see but knew were here, hiding in the shadows. 

There was nothing to disturb the overwhelming silence : no roaring laughter from the Gaang, or lovely songs from Iroh, no screams from Sokka running away from a boulder the earthbender aimed at him, or making disgusted comments after seeing Aang and Katara kiss. Nothing. 

It was just Zuko and the cold silence of the Palace. 

The Fire Lord felt like his heart was burning in his chest. After the ceremony his friends would leave and it would be back to normal, back to Zuko being lonely in his own home, back to the deafening silence. 

« Fire Lord Zuko. It is time. » a Fire Sage said to him, interrupting the younger man’s thoughts. Zuko nodded and followed him.

 

The Fire Lord was helped into the Royal carriage and the procession started. 

The streets were lined with Fire Nation people holding flags and guests from the other nations. They smiled at his sight, waving and shouting encouragements.

As a child the carriage procession to the Royal Plaza had always been his favorite; he’d share a second open carriage with Azula, riding after their father’s, and they would wave at people and have a lot of fun, even sticking their tongues out at people sometimes. 

Now it was a tad more stressful but as he rode to the forum, Zuko realized he still very much liked it. 

Once he reached the Royal Plaza and took his seat on the balcony overlooking the whole forum, the formal ceremony started. The Fire Lord was greeted with a royal 41-gun salute and a group of middle-schoolers performed a variation of the national anthem for him with their tsungi horns.

As the Foot Guards marched past him, closely followed by their military bands, the young firebender couldn’t help but search the crowd for his friends. He had expected to find them and Iroh waiting for him at the tower but maybe they wanted to enjoy the celebrations from the streets.

After taking a long, deep breath, the Fire Lord rose from his chair to start his speech, causing the chatter down at the Plaza to die down as faces turned to listen to him. 

« People of the Fire Nation, distinguished guests from the Earth Kingdom and Water Tribes, thank you all for gathering here today to celebrate and commemorate the end of the Hundred Year War and my ascension to the throne. »

« Last year I promised you that I would restore the honor of the Fire Nation and the imbalance caused by the war waged by my Fathers and the absence of the Avatar. Today I am glad to say that this very imbalance between us is being corrected and that we’re back on the right path to a new era of love and peace. »

The young Fire Lord felt himself smiling as the faces below him were filled with hope, and the members of his audience agreed with him, nodding at his every word. 

« As I look on this crowd today, I am pleased to see— »

Suddenly, he felt himself being violently tackled roughly to the ground. Just as he was about to riposte with a fire attack, he met Suki’s grey-freckled eyes. The Kyoshi Warrior looked alert, shielding Zuko’s body with her own.  

« We need to get you out of here! » she gritted through her teeth, dragging the Fire Lord on the ground back inside, a firm hand on the back of his neck to force him to stay low.

Zuko could hear the crowd’s shocked murmurs below at the Plaza. Before he could fully comprehend what was happening, screams and shouts emerged from the outside as arrows rained down on the very spot he’d been standing at a couple of minutes prior. 

He immediately understood. These arrows were meant for him. This was an attempt on his life. 

Back inside, Suki was breathing heavily and Zuko took a good look at her. The Warrior looked worn out and he deduced she must‘ve fiercely fought her way to get to him on the balcony. Probably even scaled the vertical face of the building just like she’d done when they escaped Boiling Rock. She quickly barricaded the entrance with everything she could find, keeping a furtive eye on the prince who was staring at her, still out of it. 

« Thank you Suki, » he started but she held her hand up, saying she wasn’t the one to thank and glanced at the door which had just been slammed opened. 

Zuko felt strong hands grabbing him by the waist and he was pulled in a desperate embrace into Sokka’s arms. « Thank Spirits Zuko, you’re okay », the Water Tribe man said, a touch of bliss in his distressed voice as he frantically checked the prince for injuries. 

Senses coming back to him, Zuko demanded to know what was going on and they explained there had been coup. Insurgents from the New Ozai Society, aided by a fraction of Zuko’s men, were trying to kill the Fire Lord in order to take control of the Fire Nation and plunge the world back into war and chaos. 

There was a pained look on Sokka’s face as he took out a metal arrowhead out of his bleeding shoulder. 

« A gift from General Ukano. » he winced through his clenched jaw, throwing the arrow on the floor. Promptly, Zuko ripped a strip of clothe from his formal robes and used it to apply pressure over the wound. He was about to tend to Sokka’s other injuries when they heard an explosion. 

The ground rumbled under their feet, prompting Suki to draw out her katanas, ready to slaughter the Fire Nations traitors who were coming up the stairs to finish the job. « You need to leave. _Now_! » she ordered them. « I’ll stay behind, get you some time to escape. », and, sending a last unshakable look to Sokka, she said « Protect the Fire Lord. » 

Fighting past his shock, still very aware of Sokka’s hand in his, Zuko insisted the three of them could end whatever what coming up these stairs but Sokka was already pulling him away. 

The wall exploded under the pressure of a thunderous fire attack and a dozen of men entered the smoke filled room. 

Sokka tugged harder, forcing the prince after him. 

The last thing Zuko saw was Suki, resplendent in battle, her katanas slitting the air, as she was efficiently chi-blocking the firebenders who were attacking her. She was fulfilling her mission. She was saving Zuko. 

 

Sokka ran faster than ever, never letting go of Zuko despite the searing pain in his shoulder. 

Once they got into the hidden tunnels under the Plaza, they felt the pandemonium that was going on on the higher floor. The red walls were trembling and though the Fire Lord knew they’d never give out, he couldn’t help but worry.

It caused him to gather his thoughts and protest. « Sokka, we should go back. What about Suki? What about the others? Your sister? ». He wouldn’t be able to live with himself if something happened to the waterbender while Sokka was protecting him. 

« Katara is perfectly able to defend herself. » the taller man grunted, dragging Zuko along further into the tunnels. « Everyone will be fine. But I have to get you to safety. »

Zuko resisted, arguing that Sokka didn’t know that, not for sure. « They could be in need of help, Sokka, we should go- »

Letting go of his friend’s hand for the first time, Sokka stopped and grabbed the Fire Lord energetically by the shoulders, almost slamming him into the wall. « Now you listen to me Zuko. The second you go out there those people are gonna come after you and believe me, they’re going to try, with all they have, to kill you. My life, Suki’s and even Katara’s doesn’t matter if you’re dead. If something happens to you, the entire world is at war again and everything we’ve done reduced to ashes. » 

The Fire Lord struggled under the firm grip, saying that he was a bender and a skilled fighter. 

« I don’t need a handler! » he screamed, finally getting out of his friend’s hold. « I refuse to hide like a coward when my people need me. I’m not my father! ». 

But as the Fire Lord was taking a step back, Sokka spun on him, fear, panic and hurt coloring his face. 

« I chose to protect you Zuko. You’re my mission and I can’t fail. I can’t fail to protect someone I love again. If you _die_... If you... » 

Sokka stopped, unable to finish his sentence, pressing his fingers into Zuko’s face as if he was scared the man would disappear under his hands. 

The golden-eyed prince couldn't muster the strength to argue anymore.

« Do you trust me, Zuko? » Sokka muttered. 

« I do. With my life. »

Satisfied, the man turned back around, holding Zuko's hand again, and pulled the Fire Lord along as quickly as he could. Sokka’s arm was stinging and sore from the arrow, his head was throbbing and he was fighting back the dizziness of his tired, aching body. But he couldn’t focus on this now. 

They needed to get out of the city. 

 

He needed to protect Zuko. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My favourite chapter to write after chapter 4. I'm not going to lie I wrote this chapter while I was watching Trooping the Colour so the royal procession came very naturally to me, lol.  
> I like the throwback memories to Zuko and Azula's childhood and Sokka's obvious worry for Zuzu.  
> That scene in the tunnels if my absolute favourite and I must say it was heavily influenced by Vespertineflora's A mesure of affection which is one of my fav Zukka fic.  
> Let me know your impressions about this chapter in the comments!


	7. The boy, the eaglehawk and the turtlecrab

 

Zuko woke up disoriented. He didn’t recognize his surroundings. Where was he? This wasn’t his room. He must have been captured. His breathing intensified, his chest rising alarmingly fast but a tanned arm held onto him, caressing his chest. 

« Are you okay? You should go back to sleep. » Sokka croaked next him, half-asleep. He pulled Zuko closer to him and hummed contentedly when he felt the Fire Lord’s warmth. The young man smelled of fresh bath salts and ease and the prince allowed himself to relax into Sokka’s arms. He felt good and safe next to him. 

As the events of yesterday came to his mind, it slowly dawned on him that Sokka had told him he loved him the night before and Zuko blushed. 

They had ran out of the city and reached the mansion on a mongoose lizards’s back. The Water Tribe man had inspected the rooms, drawing his weapons at any sound and keeping Zuko safely behind him. 

Later, when he was sure there was no danger, he had allowed Zuko to lead him into a large bathroom and tend to his wounds. Now that the adrenaline was running off, Zuko could feel Sokka’s exhaustion and his own. The Fire Lord had disinfected the scars and cuts on Sokka’s skin, bandaged the arrow wound and ran him a hot, healing bath. He remembered Sokka had asked him to stay by his side which the prince had agreed to. They then went to bed, holding onto each other. 

And there he was, still in Sokka’s arms. Cuddling further into the embrace, Zuko, soothed by the other man snoring, fell asleep.

He was safe. 

                             

* * *

 

The room was basking into sunlight when Zuko woke up for the second time. He could hear the birds chirping outside and Sokka’s loud snores next to him. He turned to check on his friend. Despite his being an active sleeper, the shirtless Water Tribe man looked peaceful and soft. In the morning light, Sokka’s skin took the color of honey when boiled : a hot, rich brown, promising of a warm and sugary taste. Zuko’s mouth felt dry. 

Mesmerized, he let a shy finger brush Sokka’s skin and the man gave a little grunt. Leaving a last caress on the brown skin, the prince got out of bed to start his sun salutations on the balcony then left the room.

Walking into the quiet kitchen, Zuko noticed multiple glass jars containing a variety of perfumed tea leaves and he smiled, recognizing one of Iroh’s tea sets.

His uncle Iroh loved this house. 

He’d often come down from the Capital to care for the garden, tidy up the place and make sure the pantry was always full in case Zuko needed to go there.

The mansion seemed much smaller than Zuko remembered but after all, he only visited when he was a small child so the place might have felt bigger to him. It was nothing like the palace with its numerous rooms but it had all the amenities one could need and was well-furnished. The prince liked it. 

 

The tea pot was already whistling on the stove but the young man walked around the house, reliving family moments hidden in the clutter of the house. 

He found official papers Iroh had left here accidentally on his Pai Sho game table, Azula’s stuffed viper bat, his own turtle crab and a few of Ursa’s photographs. 

His mother was a talented photographer, always taking pictures of the family when they were on holidays somewhere in the Fire Nation. 

He took them out of the box and scattered them on the living room brown mahogany table. 

The pictures were old, yellowed by time. As he was carefully looking at them, Zuko bore a faint, melancholic smile. He remembered being happy then, _actually_ happy and so was his family. 

He came across a family portrait taken by Lo and Li at their beach house on Ember Island and stared at it for a long moment. They were late to go to the theater, Azula was crying about how she didn’t want to watch stupid _Love Amongst the Dragons_ again while Ursa was arguing that it was a very nice play and Zuko was clutching at her robes insistently because he wanted to go to the arcade instead. Their mother had screamed that it was enough, alerting Ozai into the room and took her side; but once she’d left the room, their father discreetly told them that they would get ice cream on the way to the theater and if they behaved nicely, he would take them to the arcade later. Lo and Li had arrived at this exact moment and they photographed the happy family. 

Zuko had almost drowned that very same day trying to save a turtlecrab from a hungry eaglehawk. A big wave had surprised him and carried him out into the ocean before he was saved by his father. The Fire Lord chuckled bitterly at the irony, thinking about how things had changed and would never be the same as he put the photographs back in the box. 

 

He wanted to continue his exploration of the house, planning to muffle his footsteps so as not to wake Sokka, when he realized his friend was already up, leaning in the doorframe and staring at him. 

He blinked rapidly, slightly embarrassed. What if Sokka regretted his words from last night? He could blame it on blood loss or fear, or adrenaline, anything. Such things could be said in a life-threatening situating. Things one could feel sorry for in the morning.

« May I come in? » Sokka asked, still at the door. Zuko nodded. « I made tea. »

The prince poured jasmine tea into two cups, reheating them a bit with his hands. 

They drank, next to each other, not saying a word. 

When Zuko thought he couldn't stand the quiet another moment, he blurted something silly about how good the tea was to which Sokka giggled at then agreed.

« It’s good tea, indeed. Thank you for making some for me. »

Zuko shrugged it off, saying it was nothing compared to what Sokka had done for him yesterday and finally asked what happened to lead up to this. 

He listened, sipping on his tea as the blue-eyed boy told him the whole story. Yesterday night, as they were all coming back from the firework show and were heading back to the common room, they surprised a conversation between two traitors who mentioned an early morning meeting at the New Ozai Society headquarters to work out the minutiae of their plan to murder the Fire Lord. They all went to the rendez-vous point to put a stop to the plan but were instead captured and bound by Ukano’s men. 

« My plan wasn’t exactly great, to be honest. » he joked, making Zuko smile too. 

« It’s a pity considering you’re our plan guy. » the other laughed. 

The Gaang had escaped much later, just moments before Zuko’s speech so only Suki and him were able to get to the prince while the others stayed to guard the Plaza and protect the crowds. 

« Ukano got me just as I was going up to you. » Sokka said, touching his bandaged shoulder as if remembering it being pierced by the arrow. 

« How is it? » Zuko asked quietly, slowly approaching the younger man and checking his bandage.

« Hurts a bit but I’ll live. The bath helped a lot actually. ».

 

They were so close to each other, just a few feet apart. Zuko could just lean in and...

He flushed, looking down. Sokka hadn’t mentioned his confession. It was probably best not to talk about it. He probably regretted anyway. 

 

An overwhelmingly heavy silence fell between them. They finished their tea, both very aware of the other’s discomfort. 

Each breath Zuko took felt like an earthquake rocking the silence so, gathering some strength, he stammered, « Did- did you really mean—-». 

But found Sokka had started to speak at the same time, « Listen, about what I said— ».

They both stopped and gave a faint, awkward laugh.

Sokka continued, his hand on top of Zuko’s. « About what I said yesterday. I mean it. I love you. I do. And I’d like to be with you if you —if you’ll have me. »

The Fire Lord was stunned, out of words. Sokka went on about how he much he had missed Zuko during the past year, how many times he had been tempted to leave the South Pole to visit the Fire Lord but he couldn’t just leave like that as his people still needed his help and he wasn’t certain about Zuko’s feelings for him.

« You see, all I’ve wanted my entire life was to be a man of the Tribe, a leader in my people’s eyes, in my dad’s and I still want that but not without you. No matter where I am, I can still be a man of the Tribe but I couldn’t possibly be myself if I’m not with you. »

After a short pause, he carried on softly, holding both of Zuko’s hands. 

« I— I had not realized before just how important you were to me —how important you are to me, Zuko. And I’m sorry I took so much time to see it. I’ve missed you so much. I love you so much. »

Before the Fire Lord’s lack of answer, the nonbender blushed, looking away, « If you don’t feel— ».

But he was quickly interrupted by his friend’s nervous voice. 

« There’s this file, at home, in my office. It’s the most important thing in my eyes. I’ve been working on it for a year. » Sokka frowned, confused, but kept silent. 

« It’s a reconstruction project for the Southern Water tribe, for your people. For Katara. For you. Because you’re the most important thing in my eyes —the most important thing in my life, Sokka. », Zuko looked down, saying the words with difficulty. « I’ve wanted you for a long time now. And I love, I love, I _love_ you. »

Before Zuko could say anything else, Sokka leaned towards him, narrowing the gap between them and pressed their lips together. 

If Zuko was a bit shocked at first, his eyes widening, he quickly melted into the kiss. His heart was beating was fast, throbbing in his chest. Sokka’s mouth felt good and so warm inside, he could feel it better now that the man had pried his lips open to taste Zuko with his tongue.

His hands were on Zuko, gently stroking his heated skin and the back of his neck. It wasn’t a mere, simple kiss. It was more than a year of secret, concealed feelings now being expressed in the open. It was fire and water colliding in a melting steam. Their hands were saying what mouths couldn’t, what their hearts hadn’t for years in fear of being rejected, touching tenderly and holding each other. Zuko felt whole again. 

Sokka pulled away, looking at the blushing Fire Lord with clouded, glazed over eyes, and panted, « Is this okay? ».

Zuko nodded, eyes lowering look at the other man’s lips. They were so enticing, all red and swollen from kissing and glistening with saliva and Zuko wanted to feel them again. 

He kissed Sokka again but it wasn’t as smooth as it had been when the Water Tribe man was dominating the kiss; it was a bit more awkward and hesitant because of his inexperience. He’d only just kissed Mai before when they were together but it had never felt like this, hot, urgent, soft and tender all at once.

He bumped into Sokka’s nose and mumbled an apology as he leaned back, blushing from the heated kiss and the embarrassment. The man gave him a reassuring stroke on the cheek. 

Quiet between them stretched on a bit; it wasn’t uncomfortable but rather comforting and easy. It felt good being in Sokka’s arms. 

After a moment, Sokka pulled away from the prince and prodded him playfully, a sly yet somehow shy grin on his face, « So, I’m the mysterious man? » 

Zuko gave him a friendly punch, his lips tugging into a smile, « You’re an idiot. » 

He closed his eyes, nudging close against Sokka and sighing softly. He was happy. Actually happy.

                       

* * *

 

A violent summer rainstorm had started outside, making the inside of the house and the warmth of Sokka’s arms even more inviting. 

They were laying in bed, Sokka running his fingers through Zuko’s untied hair as the Fire Lord left lazy kisses on his lover’s chest. 

Zuko felt all mollified which was normal after what they’d done. He felt his face heating up at the thought. 

They had kissed some more in the living room, their hands getting hungrier and hotter. Sokka had pulled gently at the firebender’s hair and Zuko had let out such a wanton whine that the nonbender had suggested they move this to the bedroom. In a swift move, the Water Tribe man had carried him into the bedroom, kissing him again and telling him he was lovely like that, all flustered and needy.

Sokka had been very gentle with him, whispering sweet-nothings into his ears and Zuko had quickly been lost in pleasure, his body hot, trembling and desperate for his lover’s touch. 

The Water Tribe man groaned, shifting under Zuko and said he was hungry. 

« I don’t think I can move just yet. » Zuko mumbled, burying his face into Sokka’s chest. 

« Well, you can’t be the only thing I eat today, your Fireness. » the blue-eyed man joked, running a possessive hand on Zuko’s back. 

« Sokka! You can’t just say things like that! »

The Water tribe man laughed at his friend, earning a soft punch from the blushing Fire Lord. But Zuko realized he hadn’t eaten since yesterday morning and that he was quite hungry too. 

They went into the kitchen, rummaging through the full pantry. Sokka placed many ingredients on the marble counter, enough for five-course meal, Zuko noted.

« We could start with the steamed fish, then have the meat and finish with some of these delicious desserts. » he told the perplexed prince. 

Gathering the vegetables, he turned quickly to face his lover, «  _Or_ even better, we could make a five-flavor-soup! It’s a traditional dish from my tribe. Technically I was taught the recipe by an evil witch but that’s a long story. I could teach you if you want. »

The Fire Lord smiled and got closer to him. The Water Tribe man showed him how to cut the vegetables while he took care of the fish and stock. 

Zuko was carefully (and quite slowly) mincing tomato-carrots, peppers and mushrooms when he thought that this was nice. They were cooking in the kitchen together, chatting lightly as the rain was falling outside. It felt good, very domestic. He was wondering if this is what it would feel like if they lived together when he noticed his lover‘s little smile.

« Feels nice, right? » Sokka asked, staring at Zuko who nodded. « Feels right. »

The brown-skinned man turned back to the stove, ready to roast the komodo sausages.

« Do you even know what you’re doing? » the prince asked.

« How dare you? » Sokka asked, batting his eyelashes in fake hurt. « You should know by now that I’m the meat guy. The meat and sarcasm guy, that’s pretty much my whole identity! »

The Fire Lord’s smile faded away as Sokka’s remark reminded him of Toph’s joke. He wondered if the others were okay.

Following Sokka last night had felt like the best choice but what if the others had needed them, needed Zuko and he wasn’t there to help. 

Sokka noticed his sad expression and sat down next to him, running his hands into Zuko’s hair as the Fire Lord voiced his concerns. He comforted the smaller man. 

« I’m sure everyone is alright. They’ll be here later but they have to make sure that it’s safe before you come back. »

« It’s just that —I hate that everyone has to put their lives at risk to protect me and all I can do is sit here and wait. » 

Sokka shook his head in understanding. « Look, the reason those guys attacked you yesterday is because you’re doing a great job at restoring balance and they know that. You’re a great Fire Lord and you do so much more than sit here. That’s why we have to protect you. »

Zuko smiled at that. 

« Besides I can think of a lot of ways to pass the time while we wait for the others. » the Water Tribe man added, a malicious smile on his lips.

« Is that so? » Zuko smiled back at him. 

Sokka kissed him hard again, arm wrapping around his neck to pull him close, and Zuko's heart raced.

                            

* * *

 

« Your hair is getting in your soup. »

Zuko could hear Sokka’s voice from afar, like a soft blur. He was completely out of it but couldn’t possibly bring himself to snap out of his post-making out bliss.

« Your hair is getting in your soup. » Sokka repeated more forcibly, finally catching his lover’s attention. 

A thoroughly kissed Zuko dried his hair and brought his spoon to his mouth, finishing his five-flavor-soup.

«  _Wow_ , who knew that a good snogging was all it took to get you to stop brooding. » Sokka joked. 

« I don’t brood! » the Fire Lord snapped back at him. 

Sokka took the empty bowls and teacups into the kitchen, still mocking Zuko from afar.

He was bringing biscuits into the living room when he caught Zuko frowning on the chair, his teeth gnawing at his lips. He was looking at an old photograph. 

« Sokka? » the smaller man started in a strange voice. « There’s something I need your help with. »

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is it wrong to love a chapter so much when you know you're the person who wrote it?  
> I LOVE domestic Zukka drinking tea on the sofa, prepping food in the kitchen (Sokka teaching his love about how to make a dish from the Water Tribe just brings tears to my eyes). Zuko saying I love you three times is a shameless wink at Pride and Prejudice (2005). I wanted a hot sex scene at first but I decided to tone it down and focus on the fluff.  
> Again, a chapter about family memories : Ursa, baby Azula, the photograph, Ember Island...  
> The eaglehawk and the turtlecrab is a memory Ozai tells Zuko when Zuko visits him in prison to ask about what happened to Ursa and to me, it really shows the duality of the Fire Lord's job but also the duality inside Zuko himself.  
> Tell me what you think about it in the comments!


	8. A tale of two journals

 

Sokka seemed thoughtful for a moment, his left hand on his chin as if he was combing an invisible beard. It was a look Zuko knew all too well; it was the same look Sokka got on his face when he was trying to decipher a complicated thing or come up with a plan of attack. 

The Fire Lord understood that his lover was obviously considering his answer very hard. 

About an half hour ago, Zuko had told him about Katara’s letters and what they said about the Avatar’s secret search for the last Air Nomads. He told him about his and Katara’s fight by the turtleducks pond, how he’d broken her trust and Aang’s and how he made the airbender promise him that he’d never let Zuko turn like his father.

As he confessed the truth to Sokka, he watched the man’s every expressions : confusion, sadness, hurt, a flash of anger and finally understanding.

Sokka finally started after a moment, « Zuko, you’re nothing like your father. What Katara said was out of bounds and unfair. I understand why you need to do this but— ». He sighed deeply.

« Are you sure you want to face whatever we will find in your dad’s office? Once we go in, there’s no turning back. »

Zuko was sure. He needed to do this. He preferred the hurt of the truth over the fake bliss of uncertainty. He wanted to know for sure.

Sighing again, Sokka followed the Fire Lord into the dark hallway. They stopped in front of a massive ornate wooden door. He shot up a questioning look at Zuko, making sure one last time the monarch was certain. The golden-eyed man nodded. 

« Let’s do this then. » he acquiesced, pushing against the golden doorknob where two dragons were breathing fire.

 

When he was a child this room was strictly forbidden to him and his sister Azula. One day, while they were left to the care of their nannies as Ozai was out to business in the Capital, she had insisted to go in and worked her brother into her plan, saying that he was too much of a chickenmouse. They had just crossed the threshold, holding onto each other, when Ursa had caught them and berated them, stating that they were never to go into their father’s study. 

Zuko remembered the thrill, the rush as they got caught.

It was the same rush he felt now as he entered the room again, this time with Sokka.

The study was dark, heavy velvet curtains obscuring the windows. Zuko walked in. He could feel the icy marble floor beneath his bare feet and Sokka’s breath on his neck. The atmosphere was odd, as if still in time. His piercing golden eyes blinked rapidly, adjusting to the obscurity and the faint layer of dust.

Family portraits and tapestries were hanging on the walls as well as armors and an impressive collection of weapons. He could make out the outlines of an old grandfather clock and leather chairs in a corner. 

The Fire Lord moved deeper into the room, closely followed by Sokka who held onto his hand firmly. With two blasts, he lit a fire in the fireplace.

Now in the light, he could see the entire room. Things had been left untouched, as if Ozai was to return soon and go back to whatever business he was tending to at the time of his departure. His quills were still on the sturdy desk although the ink was dry now, papers were scattered all over the table and a few marked on books were all left opened. 

« How do you want to proceed? » the Water Tribesman asked, taken aback by the clutter of the room. 

Zuko frowned. If he knew his father, what he was looking for wouldn’t be placed in plain sight but hidden, more likely in a place accessible only to firebenders. 

He told Sokka who gave a little laugh.

« Might of the benders, eh? » Sokka joked as he started knocking on various walls and bookcases, looking for a secret door. 

Zuko gave a sad little smile. Sokka was right; his family did think of nonbenders as inferior to them thus unworthy to be in the presence of the greatest artifacts of the Fire Nation. 

They searched the room for a long moment, opening drawers and chests, knocking over books and taking tapestries off the walls. The Fire Lord was growing increasingly annoyed and angry at the thought that Ozai had been very cautious and hidden his secrets with care.  

« You should come take a look at this Zuko. » the blue-eyed boy called from the other side of the room. He was standing next to a massive wooden bookcase.

« Look at this. » he stated, showing his lover a golden medaillon lodged in the wood. « It‘s the same symbol as the one on the doorknob. It must be important. »

The Fire Lord congratulated him on his discovery and concurred this had to be a clue. They threw the books carelessly on the floor, not really knowing what they were looking for until they found a hole in the top shelf. 

Zuko looked to his boyfriend for advice and Sokka took a closer look at it. 

« This looks like it will only open with bending. » he started, confirming what the Fire Nation prince had told him earlier. « Care to do the honors? »

The prince nodded and told Sokka to take a step back, not wanting to hurt him, then fired three fireballs at the mechanism. A faint sound resonated through the silent room and suddenly the bookcase was replaced by a door. Sokka smiled at him.

The door opened on a dark and narrow corridor that appeared to lead to a second room. The Fire Lord threw the flame in his hands into a lantern in the wall, illuminating the path to the other room. 

Sokka went in first, cautioning Zuko to stay close behind him. 

The walls, darkened with ashes and wax, oozed of heat and smelled of burnt. Despite their state of decrepitude, the Fire Lord could make out what seemed to be scriptures on the walls, telling how the Royal family has ascended to the throne. 

« We shouldn’t stop here, Zuko. I have a bad feeling about this. » Sokka whispered, holding his lover’s hand to draw him forwards through the tunnel.

The Fire Lord didn’t object and followed him deeper into the gloomy hallway. As they were getting closer to the entrance, Sokka walked faster, leading the Fire Lord behind him, their hands still intertwined. 

« Watch our for booby-trap— » 

The blue-eyed man had only just started his sentence that Zuko took a step behind him, effectively setting off a tripwire trigger. 

Suddenly, a swarm of poisonous red darts flew from behind them. The warrior  tackled them both to the ground then rushed them into the other room once the the way was clear.

« Your dad is insane! » he shrieked, catching his breath. The prince let out a weak chuckle, « Yeah, he is. »

This new room was bigger than the study. Large portraits of past Fire Lords were hanging from the walls, resembling that of the Royal Gallery in the Palace but somehow different. Zuko couldn’t quite put his finger on it.

« This place gives me the creeps. » Sokka fretted, keeping a close eye on the young Fire Lord. 

« Stay close, okay? » he cautioned but Zuko was already walking towards the portraits. 

His Fathers were all depicted in the traditional Fire Lord attire of their time, surrounded by flames representing their mastery of firebending and imagery summarizing their accomplishments. They were almost all related to war, Zuko noticed. 

In fact, the whole room was dedicated to war. It was full of precious Fire Nation artifacts, some displayed in glass cases and others on the walls. The bookcases were full of books on the art of war, notes on the Spirit World and scrolls on firebending but also waterbending and airbending. 

Zuko felt sick to his stomach. They’d found his family’s treasure. A room full of trophies from the War : military maps, foreign arms that belonged to fallen leaders, notes on how destabilize governments, plans for raids, objectives on how to take the Fire Nation to the next level and eradicate the other people. 

The young Fire Lord was tempted to run away but remembering his promise to his friends, he tried to fight away the feeling of disgust and anger that was slowly overwhelming him. 

This was his line, his blood, his family. This was him. 

Sokka gave him a reassuring stroke on the back. 

« If this is too much, we leave, okay? » he told his visibly distraught lover. The older man could only nod, too shaken too even speak. 

He was walking around the room, collecting the scrolls and reading them when he came across two old journals, the first one bore his great-grandfather Fire Lord Sozin’s mark and the young prince recognized Ozai’s handwriting on the other one.

He opened the oldest at a random page, his fingers trembling.

 

_66BG_

_The Fire Sages came to the Palace today as Roku and I were finishing our dueling session. They announced he is the next Avatar. It is a great joy and pride for me and for our mighty Nation. Although our paths separated today, I will forever be loyal to him, and him, to me. As a parting gift I offered him my headpiece in hopes that he never forgets me._

Zuko continued, his golden eyes reading quickly through the journal. 

 

_54BG_

_Roku came back today. He was wearing my two-pronged crown. What a joy it was. We hugged like in our youth. He is to be married later this year to an upper-class Fire Nation girl, Ta Min. Roku has asked me to be his best man which I accepted. I wish to be by his side on this important day._

 

_54BG_

_Roku and I had a fight. We took a walk after the wedding ceremony. I told him about how the Fire Nation was going through a period of great prosperity and wealth thanks to my rule which he seemed happy to hear. He congratulated me greatly. However he got angry when I asked for the two of us to spread the Fire Nation's state of peace and wealth to the rest of the world by expanding the empire and make a brighter future. He dared to tell me off and that I should not think of this again._

 

_37BG_

_I am seething with rage. Roku came to rebuke me today on the grounds that I had disobeyed him and went forward with my plan to expend the Fire Nation and set up colonies in the Earth Kingdom. Our fight, as short it was, destroyed most of my Palace and forced   me to move to a secondary home outside of the City where I am now writing these lines. The Avatar shouldn’t forget that his loyalty is to me first, to our nation first. This traitor is no longer welcomed to the mainland. I shall never see him again._

 

_12BG_

_~~My friend Roku~~ The Avatar is gone. I left him and Fang to die on his island._

 

_0AG_

_I’ve moved on my plan for the Great Expansion and decided to finalize it. With Roku gone and the Great Comet returning, the timing is perfect to change the world. I shall no longer be opposed to by anyone or by The Avatar. The next one will be born an airbender so today, I have commanded my soldiers to attack the Air Nomads and wipe out the Air Temples._

 

_2AG_

_Great victory today. It had come to my attention, months ago, that a small number of Air Nomads had escaped my initial surprise attack. As they were too elusive for my soldiers to hunt down, I’ve changed tactics and lured them into fake safe houses that I had furnished with relics removed from the temples. Those fools believed the residences where inhabited by refugees and when they entered the houses, I had them eliminated._

_It’s one of my greatest military victories._

_** No survivors.  ** _

 

Zuko hadn’t realized he was crying until Sokka kneeled down on the floor by his side. It was too much. He felt like his was going to explode. He gave out a long wail into Sokka’s embrace as the Water Tribesman stroked his back and decided it was time for them to leave the room. 

 

                     

* * *

 

Sokka forced him to drink a cup of calming tea and tried to get him out of his state of stupor.

His father’s words were resonating in his mind. _Zuko was weak_. _He resembled his mother_. _Ozai hated him_. 

 

The young Fire Lord had objected strongly to Sokka’s suggestion to leave the secret room in the study and insisted to read through this father’s journal too, taking it out his lover’s hands. Most entries dated back to before his birth. He found out about Azulon’s reasons for arranging a marriage between his father Ozai and _a young female descendant of Avatar Roku from the village of Hira’a_ , his mother Ursa. He read through some of Ursa’s letters that his father had stolen by Elua, a servant whom Ursa had entrusted to deliver notes to her family and the quarrel his parents had about it. He found out about the reasons for her banishment and about the Fire Lord’s utter disgust for his firstborn. 

He had always known somehow, even as a small child, after begging for Ozai’s forgiveness at his feet as Zuko’s face was burned, after being banished at just 13, he had known his father loathed him but it was just as devastating to read about it.

 

_The boy is weak. He resembles is mother. His sister bests him at everything._

_I wish he wasn’t born first —or at all. He’s my greatest shame. My greatest failure. If only I had followed Azulon’s order and killed him, or even acted on my first intention to cast him over the Palace walls after he was born, I wouldn’t have to suffer his puny, sparkless gaze_.

 

Blinded by rage, Zuko had destroyed the journal in a great blue fire. He wanted to burn it all down, the house, the trophy room, everything. Everything that reminded him that reminded him that he was part of this wretched family. 

But Sokka had shaken him out of his anger, calmed him down and took him back inside the house. 

On the couch, Zuko let himself be soothed by the Water Tribesman’s soft words and embrace and finally took the teacup to his lips. The tea was warm and so was Sokka.

He drifted away in a dreamless sleep. 

 

* * *

 

The Fire Lord felt something tugging on his robes. He opened his eyes to discover Momo the winged-lemur, purring on his chest. He smiled, understanding right away that the Gaang was here.

« Hey Sparky! Welcome back. » 

Toph had only just finished her sentence that the Fire Lord heard worried voices asking him if he was okay and felt three sets of arms hugging him. He hugged them back and as he pulled away recognized Aang, Katara and Suki. Instantly the heaviness of his heart vanished; he was happy to see them, happy to see they were safe and out of harm’s way. They looked a bit tired but content and glad to see him too. 

« Aren’t you going to hug me, Beifong? » the Fire Lord teased, looking at his Earth Kingdom friend. 

Toph laughed and approached the group, rising from her chair by the Pai Sho game table. 

« Hugging you would mean I’m happy to see your ugly face. » she teased back. Zuko presented his shoulder, thinking she was going to give him her patented loving _that’s-how-I-show-affection_ punch but at the last minute she opened her arms and hugged him.

« I’m happy you’re safe, Hotstuff. » she said in a small voice, holding him tight. The Fire Lord returned the gesture.

Aang quavered that such a touching moment called for another group hug and they embraced each other again, even tighter. 

The airbender started ranting about how they had defeated the members of the New Ozai Society. 

« You should’ve seen Katara! She was like _this_ and soldiers flew in the air and then Toph was like _that_ and this gigantic metal wall erupted from the ground! And I was pretty cool too! » the teen recalled, highlighting his story with frantic, crazy hand gestures and distorted facial expressions. 

The prince smiled, thanking his friends warmly anytime the jolly airbender would let him speak. 

Remembering how the tunnels had trembled that night, he inquired about his people’s well-being and the state of the Plaza, wanting to gauge the damage and already thinking about renovations. 

« Don’t fret, Sparky, it’s nothing I won’t be able to bend back into place! » Toph boasted, adding that after all, she was the best earthbender on the planet, no offense Twinkletoes.

« What about— what about the prison? » the prince asked, a touch of worry in his voice. He couldn’t bring himself to say his father’s name out loud, not after what he’d found out, and hoped his friends would be able to read between the lines. He knew the rebels would’ve wanted to break Ozai out of his cell and help him take back the control of the Fire Nation. 

Understanding what the monarch had meant by that, Katara shook her head and said that she and Iroh had made sure no one had escaped that day. 

Zuko thanked her and she smiled kindly at him. He could feel that her anger had dissipated, even vanished after the events of yesterday. But what would she think after he shared his and Sokka’s discovery with her? What would Aang think once he read Sozin’s journal and found out that he was really the last of his kind? 

He didn’t want to cause more pain to his young friend. It was so easy to be blinded by the fact that Aang was the Avatar but at heart, he was still a teenager who had lost his people.

The Fire Lord stared at his happy friend who was still rambling about how they had defeated their enemies and how he was pleased that even after a year away from each other they were still in sync in battle.

« What about you? What have you two been up to? » the airbender asked, snapping Zuko out of his thoughts. The Fire Lord blinked repeatedly.

« Now that’s a great question, Twinkletoes! » Toph goaded, shifting on the carpet where she was sitting, « I would _love_ to know what you and Loverboy have been doing while we were kicking ass out there? »

Zuko felt his cheeks turn hot. He couldn’t tell them about the journal just yet and babbling about how Sokka and him spent the day making out and humping each other was out of the question. 

He answered evasively and incoherently, doing his best to ignore his friend’s mischievous gazes and Toph’s gross air kisses. 

Noticing his nervous expression, Suki let out a loud laugh. « Oh come on Zuko, you can just say that you’ve been sucking on each other’s faces all day. »

The Fire Lord groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose then asked in an unsure tone « Wouldn’t you—- you guys would not mind? »

They all shook their heads, smiling at him.

« We’ve known for a long time. You’re not particularly subtle and Sokka can be so dense! I’m just glad he’s figured it out. » Katara pointed out, preening when the whole group laughed. 

« But make sure you and Snoozles keep it in your pants today because the walls have ears. My ears and they can hear _everything_. » the earthbender said jokingly from where she was laying on the floor.

Zuko and Katara both winced at her words; the former, in embarrassment, and the latter because Toph’s remark prompted unwanted imagery to her mind. 

« Toph! That’s my brother! » she cringed.

« I have to endure your kissy faces at Twinkletoes too! »

The Fire Lord stopped listening to their bickering when a door opened in the hallway. He heard two voices whispering rapidly from afar and footsteps going into the kitchen. 

Intrigued, he rose from his seat and took a few steps into the other room; from there the prince could see his uncle Iroh pacing nervously in the kitchen as the older man talked to Sokka. They looked tense and Zuko understood from their body language and low, private chatter that the Water Tribesman had told Iroh about what they found hidden in Ozai’s study. 

Feeling the prince’s piercing golden gaze, Sokka turned his head, his body shifting to face Zuko who was spying at them from the kitchen door, unsure if he should come in or not. A smile formed on Sokka's lips and he winked at the prince. 

Heartened by Sokka’s grin, the Fire Lord went to them and hugged his uncle. 

« Uncle, I was so afraid for you. » he mouthed into Iroh’s white beard. 

« So was I, my nephew, but I knew I left you in the best of hands and care, didn’t I? » the Dragon of the West answered, a smile on his lips as Sokka blushed and scratched the back of his head. 

Zuko nodded, a pink flush similar to the one on his lover’s face painting his cheeks. 

« I’m very happy for you both. » Iroh continued, « I’ve always trusted you to find a great partner and I think you found the one for you. »

Holding onto Sokka’s hand, Zuko agreed, his lips curling into a private smile, « I think I have, yes. »

The old man grabbed the hot teapot from the stove and brought it into the living room where he poured water into the teacups that where on a golden tray. The couple followed him into the other room, sitting together on one of the sofas. 

 

Even if the Gaang had reassured him about the city and made sure all the members of the organization had been apprehended, they still had a lot to discuss. 

Comforted by Sokka’s hand in his, the Fire Lord put Sozin’s journal on the table and started telling the group about what the Water Tribesman and him had found out earlier. 

 

* * *

 

Zuko shifted in his sit. He wanted to get closer to Sokka without seeming too desperate for his lover’s touch and didn’t want to force unwanted displays of affection on the rest of the group or prompt another embarrassing innuendo from Toph. 

The distance between him and the Water Tribesman was so irritatingly small but so wide at the same time, it drove the Fire Lord crazy. He moved again, trying to focus on Iroh who was advising the team about the course of action to follow when they would all go back to Caldera City but all the he could feel was his lover’s warmth next to him.

He wanted to curl up against Sokka’s side with Sokka’s arms around him like they had been all day but he felt so awkward. 

He gave a quick look at Aang and Katara who were holding hands and had been since he told them about the journal. 

It hadn’t been easy to see Aang’s last hopes shatter before his eyes as he had listened to Zuko’s tale with tears in his eyes. Katara had been the first to get to him, holding the airbender close to her and stroking his back then they had all circled him and comforted him until he felt better. 

Zuko glanced nervously at Sokka, hoping his friend would get the hint. The Water Tribesman draped an arm around Zuko’s shoulder and the prince tried to hide his grin as he scooted closer. 

« Finally! » Suki said, rolling her eyes.

« Sugar Queen, Tea bag, you both owe me 20 yuan! » Toph exclaimed, accidentally pointing at Aang and Momo instead of Katara and Iroh. 

« That’s unfair, you had inside information, Toph! » the waterbender started but the earthbender stopped her and stared that Katara should’ve asked her _denser-than-a-bag-of-rocks_ brother to come to his senses sooner. 

« And I want cold hard cash old man, none of that wisdom that can last a lifetime! » she added, this time correctly pointing at Iroh. 

                 

* * *

 

As the sun was setting down behind the mountains, the blue of the sky gave way to a multitude of pinks and purples, shot through with veins of pale white, deep reds and oranges, twisting as if living flame. 

Leaving the living room, Zuko went outside to get a bit of fresh air. The garden’s peaceful quietness was only disturbed by the whispers of a pond nearby and the gentle caress of the wind. The prince sat down by the water, clutching at the grass where small insects were buzzing around with their last findings of the day and hurrying back to their homes inside the colorful flowers of the garden. Momo the lemur, who had been tailing the Fire Lord for most of the afternoon, gawked at them, sometimes letting out a faint growl at the bees-ants or moving to catch one of them. 

When the prince kept him once again from bothering the insects, the winged lemur found shelter in the Fire Lord’s long silky hair. 

« It’s a nice change from Appa’s fur. »

Zuko turned around to find Katara staring at them from the house. The waterbender walked in their direction and sat down next to them. 

Zuko laughed quietly, « I suppose it is. »

« Momo isn’t the only one who’s fond of your hair. » she teased, nudging him softly and pointing at her brother who was looking out the glassdoor to see what they up to and disappeared right back inside when Katara poked her tongue at him.

« Are you sure you don’t mind? That Sokka and I— that we’re... » he stammered, looking down to hide his flaming cheeks.

« Not at all, Zuko. None of us do. And I’m sure my father won’t mind at all when he finally gets to meet the boy who’s been on his son’s mind for over a year now. »

The prince smiled at that, happy to hear Sokka had mentioned him to his family back at the Water Tribe. 

Breaking the silence Katara asked, « You do know he’s going to be even more annoying than he already is? »

Zuko nodded and they both laughed in unison. 

A comfortable quiet stretched between them only to be broken when the waterbender spoke again. 

« Thank you Zuko. » she said, facing him. « For what you’ve done for Aang, for giving him back his peace of mind. I know it wasn’t easy for you. And I’m sorry... for the other day. »

He took her hand, interrupting her apology, « Don’t be, you were right. I’m the one who should apologize. I should know by now that trust is something precious and I’m glad you’ve placed your faith in me again. »

The waterbender smiled. « Friends? »

« Friends. »

Someone coughed over them and they raised their hands to find a red-faced Aang staring at them. 

« Uhh Katara? » the young airbender piped from above them. « I think they need your help inside. Someone burned something and —»

She didn’t give him time to finish, already screaming out Sokka’s name and hearing the Fire Lord and the Avatar laughing behind her and her brother squealing in the kitchen. 

« What are they doing inside? » the prince asked, slightly worried about the cloud of smoke that was coming out of the windows. 

Aang scratched his head and faltered, « I think your uncle and Sokka tried to cook a very complicated dish from scratch and then Toph and Suki got involved somehow... I don’t know what happened? »

« So you didn’t have anything to do with this? » Zuko smiled, still sensing nervousness from his young friend. 

The Avatar looked down and admitted the dish was his idea.

Zuko’s laugh startled Momo. The winged lemur hopped off the Fire Lord’s lap, grumpy from having his nap interrupted and ran to Appa. The sky bison’s fur wasn’t as comfortable but he did give Momo some peace and quiet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Slightly more difficult to write than the first 7 chapters but I believe it did come out nicely.  
> Let me know what you think in the comments.


	9. A new era

« Stay still Sokka. If you don’t stop moving I won’t be able to do this properly. » the Fire Lord instructed as his boyfriend fidgeted in his chair and complained again.

Zuko rolled his eyes for what seemed to be the millionth time since he had woken up this morning with his lover by his side. He finally combed Sokka’s hair into a perfect topknot, topping it with the crown prince headpiece.

He had given the family heirloom to Sokka a few weeks after their return to Capital City and the failed attempt on Zuko’s life. Zuko had wanted to gift it to him sooner, immediately after they officially got together but he had feared he was being too forward, too serious too quickly. However one night, as they retreated to their chambers after supper and Sokka was putting on his nightrobe while rambling about his taste for Fire Nation roasted duck, Zuko had felt such an overwhelming rush of affection for the Water Tribesman that he couldn’t wait anymore.

He sat down next to Sokka on the edge of the bed and presented his bedazzled lover with the piece of jewelry.

« This is Avatar Roku’s headpiece, he was my maternal great-grandfather, » the prince had whispered softly. « This heirloom has been passed onto me by my uncle Iroh and I now pass it onto you as testament of my devotion and love. »

Sokka straightened up on the silken sheets.

« It’s custom for a crown similar to this one to be given to heirs and to...» He paused, looking into his lover’s blue eyes. _Consorts._ That’s the word he was looking for but it didn’t cross his lips.

Sokka had been stunned for a long minute, staring at the headpiece, his lips moving to say something but inevitably staying silent. But when he raised his head to read his lover’s anxious gaze, he understood. He understood what it truly meant and what Zuko was saying between the lines. The Water Tribesman’s lips had curled into a small smile that slowly overtook his whole face and he had accepted it.

« Perfect! » Zuko mouthed, looking at his lover in the glass. « It’s beautiful like that. »

He loved to see the crown in his lover’s hair; it was one of his favorite things to see since Sokka had moved to the Fire Nation after they made their relationship public.

He loved to run a soft hand in Sokka’s undone hair before Zuko went out to do his sun salutations, his eyes always going to the crown Sokka would wear during the day, safely tucked away on their vanity. He loved to twirl an absent finger in his lover’s ponytail, always careful to avoid the headpiece, when they shared a quiet moment in the garden in the afternoon. Sokka would often leave him red-faced to attend his afternoon meetings after stealing a passionate kiss in the hallways, readjusting his crown as he left Zuko to calm down before entering the audience room.

But above all, Zuko loved that Sokka was here with him.

It had been hard at first for the Water Tribesman to leave his native South Pole, his tribe, his people, his father but he had adapted easily to the life in the Fire Nation and his new occupation of ambassador of the Water Tribe and with Zuko by his side, any difficulty had been easily swepted away.

« You always do this so perfectly, » the ambassador said, gesturing at his perfectly styled hair. « When I do it, it looks like something that crawled out of a tigerseal’s mouth. »

Zuko breathed out a little laugh upon seeing his lover’s discomfited expression. « I’ve had a little practice that’s why. And there’s nothing wrong with the way you do it, you’re just thinking too much. »

In the golden mirror, the Fire Lord could see Sokka’s reflection change as the man suddenly got a pensive look on his face.

« Katara says I don't think enough. »

The prince paused, « Hm... You know that's kind of true. »

« Hey, » the Water Tribesman exclaimed, a glimmer of fake offence on his face. « Fuck you! »

The Fire Lord smiled, his eyes bright with mischief, « You wish. »

The Water Tribesman shifted in his seat, turning to face Zuko. The gentle light from the candles around them was nothing compared to the fire burning in Sokka’s eyes. Swiftly, he rose up from his adorned chair and left a kiss on his partner’s scarred ear, « I do. It’s a shame we have to leave so soon or else, I’d show you how right you are. »

Something curled low in the monarch’s gut as his cheek turned a pretty pink.

The blue-eyed man continued, low in his ear. « I’d take care of you just the way you like it. »

Tanned hands found Zuko’s sash, fingers teasing the silky fabric. The Fire Lord’s hands drifted away from where they were tracing up and down Sokka’s back and pulled him into a languorous kiss. Zuko let out a sigh; he would never get tired of this. He would never get tired of Sokka.

The Water Tribesman freed his lips from the prince’s wet, hungry ones and peppered hot kisses on whatever bit of Zuko’s skin he could reach, almost afraid that if he stopped touching him the prince would disappear.

« Tell me, » the prince breathed, « tell me more. »

The other man happily obliged. « I’d start with getting you out of those robes and I’d kiss you everywhere. I’d play with your nipples, make you desperate for me. But you’d want me to keep going, right? » The Fire Lord nodded.

« So I’d move down and kiss your inner thighs just to tease you when you’d really just want my mouth on that pretty cock of yours. But I wouldn’t give it to you. »

The golden-eyed monarch whined high in his throat.

« Instead I’d bury my face in that ass of yours, eat you out like a treat. Would you like that, sweetheart? » Sokka asked, eyebrow rising, and Zuko had never been so turned on at a curl of wiry hair. The idea was pretty tantalizing: the prince wouldn’t be opposed to this, to hastily fulfil their desire, a little sloppy and feverish, so unlike how they always took their time with each other. Yeah, this sounded like a good idea, a great idea even, Zuko’s mind notified him as Sokka slid his knee between his wobbly legs and gave him some sweet relief.

A little voice, the same that would sometimes advise Zuko to skip meals or sleep to focus on his work, reminded the prince in a mocking tone that Sokka and him didn’t have enough time for this right now. But for once, he fought back; he was the Fire Lord after all, he could take a day off to get properly ravished. He could even make this a national holiday if he wanted.

As to confirm its point, their panted conversation was cut short by a knock at the door where Lee Fan’s grainy voice was soon heard.

« My Lords, it is time for us to go. You are awaited in the throne room in order to start the celebrations. »

« Fine! » the firebender agreed out loud, perfectly concealing his shaky voice, then he added in a low murmur so only his lover could hear, « I promise when we get back we can talk some more about that wish of yours. »

It was Sokka’s time to blush this time.

 

* * *

 

After Jiru and Lee Fan gave approving looks to the couple, the small group, escorted by their ever-so discreet flee of guards, walked towards the throne room.

Since the attempt on Zuko’s life his Uncle Iroh had insisted the prince’s guard be reinforced, especially today, as the Fire Lord was set to once again come before his people and the other nations to commemorate the end of the war and celebrate his first year as head of the Fire Nation.

The prince would have gladly went with a smaller celebration, arguing that his people had had quite their share of pomp and circonstance for this year, but Iroh had objected; the Dragon of the West had chastened him with a look and ranted about the _importance of Zuko’s role_ so similar to that of Jiru and Lee Fan that the prince started suspecting the three elderly were spending way too much time together. But since The Avatar had also agreed with his Uncle, the Fire Lord had conceded to a ceremony at the Palace, followed by a nation-wide day of festivities. Thought the end of the war had been hard on the Fire Nation’s finances with Zuko shutting down the war economy, paying reparations to other countries and setting up a welfare system, the nation still had access to the large fortunes it had accumulated over the hundred years the conflict had lasted and the Fire Lord planned on using some of these ressources to pay for the commemoration festival.

He mentally went through the day’s schedule again: a portrait unveiling held in the throne room with officials from all nations, followed by a short speech in the courtyard and a cocktail then a festival.

It seemed like a good compromise, somewhere halfway between reverence and recreation, protocol and pleasure.

Zuko didn’t want for his people to suffer all the theatricality of his first, failed address so when Aang and Katara came up with the idea of a festival, he agreed. It would allow for the focus to be on the nation, where it should be and remind his people that although he was the Fire Lord, his people were his main job, the essence of his duty.

The prince was deeply lost in his thoughts when he felt Sokka’s gaze on him, blue eyes seeming to wonder _what are you thinking about?_ He smiled discreetly at the other man, silently answering _don’t worry about it_ to which Sokka responded with a smile.

In the Royal Gallery, lined up members of staff bowed solemnly as the small group progressed towards the throne room. Zuko gave a quick look at Ozai’s portrait, next to which his would soon be displayed. Shown bending black fire, with multiple metal cogs and smokestacks behind him, his father looked terrifying, sporting a fiery anger in his eyes that was well-known to Zuko. Twice, he had encountered it: on the Day of Black Sun when he had dared answer back to Ozai in the underground chambers and on the day of his banishment, in the Agni Kai room. For some reason, he felt a tingle on his face —a ghost of pain past, trailing a finger around his left eye, into his cheekbone and ear. He thought of searing pain, cruel laughter and the smell of burnt flesh. His flesh.

The prince let out a quiet, shaky breath which felt like gunfire in the stagnantly silent air. _It‘s not the time or moment to break down_ , he thought to himself, trying to contain the wave of emotions that threatened to overwhelm him. He was very familiar with this feeling, with his heart thundering against his ribcage at the thought of his father burning him, at the thought of bearing the shameful mark of his father’s rage and disgust for him.

The Fire Lord was on the verge of collapsing when he felt fingers intertwined in his. Zuko gave a look on his right where Sokka was looking at him tenderly. The Water Tribesman eyes seemed to say a million things, _you’re alright, he can’t hurt you now_ and _you will never be like him_ , _I’m proud of you_ and _I love you_. Zuko instinctively squeezed his hand. Now more than ever, he was thankful for standing up to his advisors who had fussed over Sokka’s place in the procession; it felt wrong to them for Sokka to walk next to the Fire Lord when protocol required that non-blood royals walk several steps behind their partner. But it felt right to Zuko. It always felt right to him for Sokka to be by his side.

In the distance, he could see the enormous bas-relief image of a fire-breathing dragon on the wall behind the Fire Lord’s throne. The room had always had such a daunting aura, an incredibly imposing atmosphere, designed to instill awe and fear in all who entered it, but today, for some reason, it looked bright and inviting.

The Lord Great Chamberlain introduced them to the reverential assembly in a clear and loud voice.

« Presenting His Majesty the Fire Lord Zuko, and Master Sokka of the Southern Water Tribe. »

A frisson of electricity ran through Zuko’s body as he entered the throne room. There, a beautiful camaieu of bright colours, red, blue and green, met his eyes. Most of the major heads of state were present, such as Earth King Kuei and the Chieftains of the two Water Tribes but also multiple governors, mayors, war heroes, warriors, noblemen and women of all nations. Quickly, he scanned the room to find his friends; against the vibrant red of the throne room, the pale greens of Toph’s silk robes and Suki’s armored kimono, and the deep blues of Katara’s ceremonial tunic, one dot of soft orange and yellow stood out. Aang.

The Avatar bowed deeply, and as if waves triggered by a pebble ricocheting on water, all the guests followed. Zuko and Sokka copied the gesture before taking their seats and the solemn address of the Fire Sages began.

« As commissioned by the grateful people of the Fire Nation, and the other three nations of the world, to mark the first anniversary of His Majesty the Fire Lord Zuko’s access to the throne, and the end of the Hundred Years conflict towards which His Majesty has vastly contributed, a tapestry has been realized. »

The monarch tensed in his chair as his mind wandered back to the sketch sessions he had had in this very room with the head weaver of the Royal Ateliers, Izali. It had felt wrong posing for her, when he should have been outside, helping with the reconstruction of the Plaza after the attack. But his advisors, seconded by Iroh and the gang, had talked him into it, arguing that such an image of Zuko would secure the opinion that he was not a traitor, but was exercising his right as the true heir of the crown and would perhaps discourage any new attempt on his life. So he had agreed to it, on the condition that he could oversee the creative aspect of this work. Right now, it felt as if the prince had made the worst choice ever, _what if people were offended by the result? What if they didn’t understand the idea behind it? Maybe I should’ve showed it to Iroh first, just to be sure._

The loud voice of the Fire Sage snapped him out of his overthinking. « Fire Lord Zuko, 47th Fire Lord of the Modern Age, Keeper of the Eternal Flame and Agni’s representation on Earth, may the sun never set on your reign. »

At this, the large tapestry materialized under two velvelty curtains, revealing Zuko’s image woven in fine silk and gold threads.

Exclamations, gasps and sounds of shock and surprise were heard in the entire room.

The young Fire Lord, surrounded by a halo of sun, was depicted in traditional Fire Lord attire, his robes containing less ornate gold trimmings than his predecessors to favor darker shades of red. It made him look more imposing, and yet, this impression was lessened by his smile and the air of kindness on his youthful traits to which his scar added a bit of depth. To Zuko, it showed that it was his banishment that leaded him to the throne and prepared him for it. But it was also more than that: during his first year as head of the country, the pride he took in displaying his scar had reached his people, and all over the nation scarred civilians had reclaimed their marks to follow his exemple. He had made these shameful marks, these disfiguring burns into a reminder of the bravery of his people during a time of war. By making sure his scar was included in the tapestry, the Fire Lord was paying tribute to the valiant people of the world for they had suffered and survived the tyranny of his Fathers as he had. This sign of shame was now one of strength and honour for all.

Along with the figure of the monarch were pictured two dragons dancing at his feet, a reminder of how his new form of firebending had helped tremendously in ending the war; the first one was in red, to symbolize Zuko and the second in gold, to represent Aang. But above that, it also signified that the two nations from which the world war has erupted were reunited once again under the flag of peace. To reinforce this idea, Zuko had also chosen to be represented with a symbol bearing all four nations’ blasons, while his right hand was holding fire to show his mastery of firebending as tradition wanted it. The symbol, bearing the four colours of the world, was circled by golden arrows to symbolize that balance had finally returned.

Somewhere in the room, Zuko found the pleased yet teary face of Izali. She seemed to thank her swarm of skilled apprentices who were all sitting by her side. They had helped him bring his vision to life and make this moment as solemn as possible. The Fire Lord was said to be the father and protector of the nation, and, given his slightly ill-gotten power and young age, Zuko had doubted that he could amount to anything as head of state. But today, as he looked upon the woven proof of all that he had already accomplished during his first year, he felt a surge of confidence and happiness. He finally felt he was enough. When Izali tore her proud gaze away from the portrait, the Fire Lord smiled at her and mouthed a thank-you.

« I am so proud of you Fire Lord Zuko, » Iroh whispered, in between two sobs, « I know kindness will be our guide in this dawning age of peace, I know you will be our guide. »

The Fire Lord smiled, « I want to be a good leader, Uncle. I want to make my nation proud. »

« You are, my nephew. The heart is an arrow, » the older man continued, one hand on Zuko’s chest, « it demands aims to land true and there is no better place you could have landed. »

Without giving it much thought and protocol be damned, Zuko pressed his face into his uncle’s shoulder.

Next to him, he heard Aang, Katara and Sokka cry silently and the ever-so familiar pain in his left eye told him that he had started crying as well but that was alright.

It was alright, Zuko realized. The crown had never felt so befitting on his head.

 

* * *

 

From the balcony, the Fire Lord looked at his guests mingling and eating in the courtyard where buffet tables had been installed and an orchestra played the theme song from _Love Amongst The Dragons_ for what seemed like the fourth time. Thankfully from here, the sounds the cocktail party were but a distant murmur but he was certain the guests would mind at some point.

As he was wondering if he shouldn’t have let Sokka be in charge of the music or if he shouldn’t have told him about his favourite play, the prince heard footsteps approaching.

« Flameo Hotman! »

Zuko groaned and turned to find a puffy-eyed yet jolly Aang, smiling at him. « Why do you insist on saying those words, Aang? » he asked, barely resisting the urge to roll his eyes.

The Avatar shrugged nonchalantly, and airbending an egg-custard tart from behind his back, he asked « I guess I have you to thank for these again, your Fieriness? »

« Indeed your... your Avatarness? » the prince struggled.

« No offense Zuko, but you should totally let Sokka be in charge of the nicknames. »

They both laughed wholeheartedly at that then proceeded to study the crowds downstairs, commenting on everything from who had the best reaction to Zuko’s speech, the food and the music, to the bold outfits some Eartheners were wearing.

« What kind of hat is that? It’s so strange! » the Avatar said, gesturing at an Earth Kingdom officer’s elaborate headpiece. « I bet you I can airbend it from here! »

« Of course you can airbend it from here, you’re the Avatar, Aang! »

Aang’s eyes lit up with mischief, « You’re right, I _am_ the Avatar, » he exclaimed, « I should try something bolder! »

The Fire Nation teen was about to tell his friend not to scare his guests (he wasn’t in the mood to deal with any diplomatic incidents right now), but relaxed when he saw Aang bending the metal from the pillars around them. An exact replica of the mocked hairpiece appeared and the younger teen put it on.

« Flameo, my good sir! » he mimicked, in the most high-pitched voice ever, « that’s quite a party you’re throwing! »

Zuko smiled at the bad impersonation, and as he looked at his gleeful friend, he was painfully reminded that Aang was just a kid. A lonely kid, with no parents, no nation, thrown in the turmoil of a war he didn’t have anything to do with and on whose shoulders he now bore the safety of the world and its balance. He laughed again at another of Aang’s tricks who was arguing that he was not just a one trick poodle pony.

« Do you think I should greet that guy? » the Avatar asked, « Imagine the face he’d make when he’d realize we have the same hat! »

Turning again to face the crowd, they both looked for the Earth Kingdom man, giggling that it would crazy and fun.

« I bet you I can find him first! » Zuko heard himself shout, surprised at his own giddiness.

« You’re on! »

They intensely watched the guests again but instead of finding the man in the weird hat, they found Katara. The waterbender was staring at them, as if she could sense they were about to do something silly. Head cocked a little to the left, her eyes narrowed in suspicion seemed to ask _what are you two up to?_

They threw her their best _we-are-not-doing-anything_ wave and after a couple of seconds, she turned her back on them and walked up to Hakoda.

In the afternoon sunlight, the Air Nomads insigna in her hair shone brighter than ever and Zuko caught his young friend smiling at the sight. Remembering the conversation he had with the waterbender weeks ago, the prince wondered if it made Aang feel like he wasn’t the last one of his kind. He quietly asked about it.

« Yeah, » the Avatar confirmed, his eyes shining with indescribable mix of emotions, « But it’s so much more that... »

The Fire Lord looked up but Aang kept silent, a smile on his lips.

After a little while, he carried on, « It helps me remember the ways of my people and what we stood for. We were a spiritual and peaceful people and we still are, even if I’m the only one who’s left. I want to keep our traditions and that includes giving the person I love a token of my affection... and breaking a promise I made to you. »

The Fire Lord starred at his friend in surprise, his right eye fully wide while the left one tried expanding beyond its usual slit.

« Over a hundred years ago, I stood here as Avatar Roku, with my best friend, your great-grandfather, Fire Lord Sozin and look, somehow here we are once again. » Aang said in solemn voice, one Zuko wasn’t used to hear him speak with. In many ways, it reminded him to Aang’s tone when he had delivered his pep-talk when the gang were on Ember Island.

« Except things are different now, this is a new era. They were friends from the start and yet, Sozin left Roku to die on his island. You and I were ennemies and yet, you saved me and now we’re friends. It would be wrong of me to punish you for things you haven’t done and that you will not do. Zuko, you have proved many times that you won’t repeat the same mistakes as your family and because I see that, because it would be an insult to my values as an Air Nomad, I refuse to fulfill my promise. »

The Fire Lord wiped his face in his long, gold-lined sleeves and hugged his friend. He didn’t initiate physical touch very often, always afraid he would be rejected, but Aang didn’t push him away; instead the Avatar held him very close, like he had done last year and like he planned on doing as much as he could. Zuko and him were very much alike and he knew his friend needed this as much as he did; it also helped that the younger teen would seize any opportunity to get hugs from his friends.

« Thank you Aang. » the Fire Lord whispered.

The Avatar was about to answer when a loose string of Zuko’s hair tickled his nostrils. He took a few steps back, stumbling on his legs like a days-old fawn, then sneezed so hard that he launched himself across he room.

The wind caught the sound of Zuko’s whole-hearted laughter, and brought it down to the courtyard where all the guests were staring up at him and Aang, the two symbols of this new time of peace.

 

* * *

 

The festival began late in the afternoon, at the hour when deep shades of red and orange met gold in the sky. Above the many stalls vendors had installed floated bright, tiny lights one easily could mistake for fireflies if they had not been shaped like Fire Nation insignas. As the day was reaching its close, they seemed to float upwards towards the setting sun.

The gang walked aimlessly, stopping from time to time to get treats or to admire shows: they had watched with delight a performance set up by Ty Lee’s old circus troupe that featured a camelephant, listened to music from Earth Kingdom nomad entertainers who seemed to know the gang despite Sokka saying he didn’t know them yet mouthing along to their song _Love is in your heart_ , and marveled at a fire juggling show in which firebenders tossed fireballs into the air then spun them fast until they all blurred together into a spinning wheel of fire.

A group of Southern Water Tribe people had watched the show intensely, clapping and cheering as the benders juggled but holding their children close, still cautious of the fire. It made Zuko’s heart ache but he remembered that peace, as Iroh said, was like a small dove and needed care and time to spread its wings. Trust had to be earned. Last year, they wouldn’t have come close to the fire at all and now they were watching a fire demonstration in the Fire Nation. _One day at a time_ , the hopeful Fire Lord thought to himself. Katara must’ve thought of something similar because she turned to look at Zuko and flashed him a blissful smile.

They wandered about some more: Ty Lee and Suki stopping at Wu’s weapons shop, Toph being weirdly entertained by the performance of dancing poodle monkeys, Zuko and Aang greeting and thanking, sometimes even posing for a photograph with all the people who had contributed to make tonight a success.

« We should have our picture taken too! » Sokka yelled, dragging the Fire Lord after him and not even looking to see if the rest of the group followed.

The couple stumbled upon a familiar green cart.

« _You_! » a voice screeched. They turned to find the Omashu cabbage merchant who stared at them in a mix of anger, fear and resolution. The man assumed a protective stance over the vegetables, « Don’t even think about coming here! Bad things always happen to my cabbages when you’re around! »

He then turned his back his back on them and moved his cart away from the danger they represented.

The Water Tribesman took offense. « Hey! Come back here with that cart, you dunderhead! »

The green-dressed merchant ran faster, throwing anxious looks over his shoulders.

« Look out! » the Fire Lord warned, but the Earthener didn’t stop, laughing sourly that he would not get caught again. He walked into a wall, his cabbages falling on the floor.

«  _My cabbages!_  »

The two young men walked up to him where he was half-sobbing, half-shrieking on the floor and helped him pick up the vegetables.

« Now, now, it’s okay! » the Water Tribesman tried, but the man was inconsolable, tearfully lamenting the loss of his cabbages.

« We could get you new cabbages, sir. » Zuko said, growing worried over the man’s despair.

The merchant sobbed that it wouldn’t be the same. Zuko looked at Sokka, golden eyes pleading him to say something.

« What about a Royal Warrant from the Fire Nation? »

At that, the man looked up. If the merchant’s tears had magically vanished, Zuko didn’t dare comment on it.

« Think about the honour it would be to have the Fire Lord’s seal of approval! » Sokka continued. « You could sell your products anywhere and no one would disturb you. It would a huge success! »

« Would you do that? » the older man queried softly.

The firebender nodded. « Of course! But we would need to taste something of your making first. »

The earthener got back up and franctically went through this bag, getting out a little pouch. He opened it and placed two cookies in both teenagers’ hands.

« They’re cabbage cookies, my latest invention! I’m not happy with the recipe yet but you should try them and tell me what you think. »

Zuko took a shy bite as Sokka swallowed the whole thing. The Fire Lord let out a pleased sound; he had expected something bitter and was surprised at the lovely taste. It was just the right amount of sugary and salty.

« It’s delicious! »

Sokka agreed. « You should sell these instead of your plain old cabbages. »

The couple continued to praise the treat but the cabbage merchant wasn’t listening anymore, deeply lost in his thoughts. They left him as he was mumbling something about settling down and creating a company.

They found Aang, Katara and Toph next to the photographer’s stall.

« We’ve been waiting forever for you two nut brains! » the earthbender yelled from where she was sitting on Appa, eating flaming fire flakes. « Don’t tell me you were kissing while we were out there doing all the hard work. »

« We were not kissing! » a blushing Zuko howled, just as Sokka proudly retorted « So what if we were? »

Katara put an end to the brotherly quarrel. « Let’s just take the picture! »

« Well I’m not coming down from Appa’s back. His back is fluffy and my feet are tired! » Toph warned. Next to her, Momo shook his head as if he was agreeing with her.

They posed for the picture; Aang and Katara were side by side, making mustaches out of the waterbender’s long hair, Toph was sitting on Appa’s head, a packet of fire flakes in her hands and Momo reaching to grab some of them and Sokka and Zuko were standing next to each other.

Hovewer, when the photographer moved to take the picture, they all moved: Momo jumped on Toph to grab the treats which resulted in the bender losing her balance and falling down on Appa, Aang sneezed because of Katara’s hair and the Water Tribesman quickly leaned down to plant a kiss on his boyfriend’s cheek.

The final result was a mess, but a happy one.

« How is it? » Aang sheepishly asked Katara as she stared at the photo, stunned.

« I bet it’s better than one of Sokka’s drawings! » Toph gibed from where she was battling Appa’s long fur and trying to free her feet.

« Not cool, Toph! You can’t even see! » Sokka retaliated.

« I don’t need to see them to know they’re bad, trust me! »

« I can take a new one if you wish me to. » the photographer said, silencing everyone.

The master waterbender smiled, « Yes please, but we’ll keep that one too. »

They posed again, this time succeeding to stay focused. As the artist was making copies of the photographs, Aang decided to distract passersby with his airbending. He was showing his air scooter to an impressed group of Fire Nation children when his eyes caught something on the side of a wall he then smashed into.

« Guys, guys! Come take a look at this! »

« What is it Twinkletoes? » Toph pressed, running in his direction as the others followed.

The blue-dressed woman was the first to react, « Spirits! »

On the poster, two lookalikes of Zuko and Sokka, holding hands and staring amourously into each other’s eyes, were advertising for a new play entitled _The Firelord and His Consort_. The synopsis read:

 

_Two nations. Two men. One love._

_At just 18, Fire Lord Zuko was able to choose both his faithful nation and his Water Tribe lover. However, life on the throne is not easy and and the crown comes with many trials._

_Will the pressure tear their love apart? Or will they make it work?_

 

_ Soon at the Great Royal Roku’s Hall, Capital City Market.  _

 

The Fire Lord groaned, his cherry red cheeks betraying his embarrassment. _Agni would be merciful if she took me out right now_ , he thought, scanning over his friends’ amused expressions. Katara tried her best to conceal her laughter as Aang explained in details what was on the poster to their blind friend.

« Look! They messed up my wolftail! » the Tribesman remarked, offended.

At that, his sister erupted in laughter, quickly followed by Toph who finally had the big picture and Aang who always enjoyed a laugh.

« That’s the only thing you care about? » Zuko hissed, the red on his cheeks never once faltering but instead spreading to his entire face. « We’re not even married! »

« Yet! » a chorus of voices chirped.

_Agni, it’s now or never_ , the Fire Lord asked silently, closing his eyes and getting ready to be vaporized into the afterlife.

Sokka ignored them, frowning at the tagline, « Also what do they mean ’ _will they make it work_ ’? Of course we will. I’ll make it work if it’s the last thing I do! »

Around him the mocking laughter stopped and Zuko’s eyes snapped back open.

He threw them a quizzical look.

« You can be quite the romantic when you give it a try. » Katara grinned.

« Well, I _am_ Water Tribe after all. Being nice and romantic is who I am, it’s my nature! » the Tribesman gloated. « Just ask Zuko how nice I can be... » he added, winking salaciously at his boyfriend.

Both Katara and Zuko shouted, « Sokka! »

While the waterbender was covering her ears, prostesting that she didn’t want to hear about this, and Toph was actively asking for more details in the name of friendship (friends needed to know these things, okay?), Aang sighed at the luck Katara and him didn’t have to go through this too.

No one would ever write a play about the Avatar, right?

 

* * *

 

They ended up at the Jasmine Dragon II, Iroh’s pop-up tea shop. The tea shop was similar to the one they had in Ba Sing Se, with the same dark green carpet depicting two dragons and that awful framed piece of calligraphy that read ‘ _It is better to go for three days without food than one day without tea_ ’.

There, Iroh greeted them and lead them to a large table he had reserved for them and which was near the stage where a Fire Nation band, the Flamey-Os, were giving a concert.

« What are you smiling at, Beifong? » Zuko asked after the song ended. The young earthbended blushed, her cheeks as red as the soft lantern lights inside the shop.

She punched him playfully, « I’m not thinking about your ugly mug, that’s for sure! »

« Whose ugly mug then? »

She muttered something under her breath about the lead singer having a nice voice. Their conversation was cut short by Iroh who offered tea to the group.

« How about you try this brand-new beverage I invented? »

The group gladly accepted and drank from their straws as Iroh proudly described his new drink.

« First, I cook balls of tapioca until they’re soft and tender. Then I put them in tea, where they sit like pearl-sized snacks at the bottom of each cup! Add a little milk and tada! A revolution in tea is born! »

Zuko thumped at the table with his fist, spitting the liquid out, « What is that trying to get into my mouth? »

Aang and Katara tried to contain their reactions.

« I’ve never had tea that’s quite so...so... » the Avatar started, his mouth still full of tea.

« So chewy! » the waterbender added, fearing that Aang would say something inappropriate.

« I am a man ahead of my time. » Iroh lamented but he was quickly consoled by Toph who affirmed it was _tea-riffic_.

Iroh’s sad expression morphed into a joyful one, the old man sporting a smile way too big for his face.

« Now here’s a person with good taste! » he smiled, « I could serve these on National Tea Appreciation Day, what do you think? »

« Well, I think I’ll take the usual plain, hot leaf juice over this anytime. » Sokka stated, trying to get a ball of tapioca from under his tongue.

At that, Iroh scoffed and left to go tend to his other customers.

« I think you might have hurt Uncle’s feelings, Sokka. »

« What did I say? »

As the couple argued with sometimes a remark from Toph, Aang and Katara got up and headed to a large cleared space in the center of the shop to dance.

The music was lively and easy to follow for the light-footed, graceful couple. Air swirled through Aang’s robes and into Katara’s hair where the Air Nomads ribbon was still tied. Time stopped around them as everyone gazed at the pair, transfixed by the beauty of their dance and the love in their eyes. They danced together for a long moment before a new couple, a Fire Nation man and an Earth Kingdom lady, joined in, then followed by other people, all trying to mimick the ease and flow of the Avatar and his Water Tribe partner.

When the music shifted into something slower, Sokka swiftly got up and held out a hand to Zuko who followed him onto the dancefloor, a bit unsure.

« I don’t think I know what I’m doing, Sokka... » the Fire Lord faltered, feeling like a toddler taking their first steps.

With a tone as slow and seductive as the music, the warrior answered, « Good. Let me guide you then. »

He settled a hand on his partner’s waist and grabbed Zuko’s hand with his own after pressing a kiss into it. They moved to the sound of music, swaying side to side as the world around them seemed to fade out. The young Fire Lord felt like his focus had settled on Sokka, and Sokka only. He could feel the other man’s heartbeat from where Zuko’s hand laid on Sokka’s chest and the pressure of Sokka’s hand on the back of his neck, holding him close: it felt incredibly intimate. The Water Tribesman dipped him and Zuko held onto him for dear life, his heart hammering in his chest. They looked at each other, the air between them feeling suddenly charged.

« I love you, Zuko » Sokka whispered reverently, « I love you so much. »

The Fire Lord smiled. « I love you too. »

The man pulled him back up as the band played the last notes and the interior of the tea shop rushed back in.

The gang ended up dancing all night first at the Jasmin Dragon II then in the marketplace under the lights of the fireworks.

 

Back at the Palace, they parted for the night, Katara, Aang and Toph retreating to their quarters and Zuko and Sokka heading to the royal wing. Still bobbing their heads and humming tunes, they hugged each other goodnight.

« Thank you guys, today was wonderful! You guys are wonderful! » the prince slurred, the Fire Nation’s hot saké finally taking its toll on him.

« Right back at you, your Fieriness! » Aang answered somnolently.

« Tui and La, you’re such a lightweight! » Sokka chuckled, grabbing the Fire Lord whose legs were about to give out.

Katara yawned and waved them good night.

« Have fun cuddling Prince Hothead! » Toph yelled as she walked away.

« You gonna cuddle me? » Zuko asked, planting a wet kiss on Sokka’s cheek.

The Tribesman hummed approvingly. « I’m gonna spoon the lights out of you, babe. »

 

* * *

 

« Are you sure you don’t want to stay another day? » Zuko coaxed as Aang and Katara set up Appa’s saddle. « It’s no trouble, really. The Fire Nation would be honoured to host you a little longer. »

The group stood in Ursa’s garden. Now that the summer had reached its peak, beds of flowers were blooming, vibrant in colours and in perfumes, and served both as a sunlit feast and hiding place to the insects Momo the lemur was chasing.

« Take it easy Zuko, » Aang answered. « We will only be gone for a couple of weeks! Laghima’s Peak is— »

« Not that far, I know! »

The prince frowned. He understood the great cultural significance that Guru Laghima’s mountain had for Aang since the poet had unlocked capital knowledge for the airbenders. But the Avatar was an airbending master himself, what could some dead old dude teach him about his bending art?

The Fire Lord continued to brood. Over the past weeks, he had grown accustomed to his friends being here with him in the Fire Nation; it reminded him of the good moments they had had together after he joined their fight and those they’d had after ho coronation before they left.

« We want to study Guru Laghima’s writings on balance and flow. It will help us in what we’re trying to do. » Katara pointed out, not even sparing a glance at the young firebender who had started complaining about his friends leaving ever since he had learned about their plan. She preferred focusing on properly securing their food supplies on the saddle and away from Momo, who, unhappy from his insects chase, was now eyeing the figs and bananas in the waterbender’s hands.

The monarch rolled his eyes.

« I know, I know.  _New growth cannot exist without first the destruction of the old._  » he commented, quoting a phrase he’d hear the Avatar mull over days ago.

« What about you? » he asked, turning to face Toph who was sitting by the edge of the pond with Sokka, gently dabbling her hand in the water and waiting for the pond’s fluffy inhabitants to come to her. Ducklings from a clutch that had hatched recently swam in her direction, quacking hopefully for treats. Their mother was swimming peacefully in the distance but when the little ones found Toph’s hand empty of food after a thorough investigation, she hissed at the earthbender. One duckling pecked at her fingertips, and although it didn’t hurt, it was enough to snap her back to reality where an insisting Fire Lord was asking her if she had made up her mind.

« Well, it’s a difficult choice for me to make. » she clarified. « I can either go with the King and Queen of sap, who will definitely coo in front of every single flower or creature they see and lamely hold hands while singing into the sunset. »

Katara threw a fig at her in retaliation but Toph caught it and stuck out her tongue at her friend.

« Or I can stay with His Hotheadedness and listen to Captain Boomerang woo him with disgustingly lovey haikus and maybe burn from the heat Zuko’s gives off when he’s blushing. »

Toph placed a finger on her chin. « So what’s better? “ _Oh look Zuzu darling, I made you this ugly drawing of us kissing. Let’s kiss some more._ ” Or “ _Darling Katara look at this flower crown I made you. Let’s sing our love into the sunset!_ ”.

Sokka splashed some water at her and argued that his voice _wasn’t that high_ and _his drawings were perfectly fine, thank you very much_. The earthener opted to follow Aang and Katara who were _bound to get into trouble_ due to the Avatar's inability to shut up and looked forward to the moment she would get to _chunk rocks at bad guys_.

Despite the remark, the Avatar cheered, happy to count a new member in their voyage.

Toph walked up to Zuko and punched him hard in the arm, « I’m going to miss you, Hotstuff. » The tremble in her voice betrayed the sadness she was hiding under her tough exterior.

« You could always stay with us at the palace. » Zuko whispered, « I promise Sokka and I will tone it down. »

« Speak for yourself! » the Watertribesman joked next to them where he was stoking Appa’s fur to say goodbye.

Toph refused the offer, arguing that Sokka and Zuko needed this time together. « Also I can’t leave the others without protection, they’re helpless without me. »

The Fire chuckled at that and hugged Toph tightly. « I’ll miss you, Greenfeet. »

Suddenly he felt arms wrapping themselves around Toph and him and realized that Aang must’ve called for a group hug. They hugged a long moment, their trembling voices a chorus repeating _I will miss you_  and _Thank you so much for everything_.

When they broke apart, Katara helped Toph up on the bison’s back while Aang sat in front of them, holding the reins and Appa licked Sokka affectionately.

Momo refused to let go of Zuko, holding tightly onto the Fire Lord’s silky hair, but the firebender lured him into going.

« I’ll give you this moon-peach if you go Momo. » he cajoled, softly.

The flying lemur hesitated for a second but then snatched the fruit out of Zuko’s hand and reclaimed his favourite spot on Aang’s shoulder.

The Avatar exclaimed, « Yip yip Appa! » and the little group was elevated into the air. On the grass, Zuko and Sokka continued to say goodbye to their friends.

« Goodbye you turtleducks! » Toph yelled, waving too.

The Fire Lord waved up at Appa who was carrying his dearest friends over the clouds until they were just a dot and stopped when they all disappeared in the distance, where sunrays only could reach them. His heart felt heavy. He knew they would be back soon but still, it hurt in that bittersweet way farewells often do.

« Don’t pout, I’m still here. » Sokka said, wrapping his arms around his lover’s waist from behind. Nuzzling in against the prince’s neck, he added, « I’ll always be here. »

The Fire Lord sighed and held onto Sokka’s hands where they caressed Zuko on the area Azula’s lightning blast had hit him.

They remained in the garden for a while listening to the lapping of the waves in the pond where the turtleducks were paddling and fluffing their tails, unaware of the world around them.

 

* * *

 

Later, Zuko headed to his office to catch up on some work missives and news from Ba Sing Se but found himself unable to focus on anything, his spirits still down because of his friend’s departure.

He took out the photograph from the gang’s first letter to him and placed it next to the one they had taken the day of the festival. It was crazy to see how things had changed in just one year. A fond smile appeared on his face.

He was interrupted by a knock at the door where Sokka soon entered the room.

« Are you coming to lunch, love? » the Tribesman asked, taking a few steps in towards Zuko. The Fire Lord nodded, not looking up from the pictures.

The younger man leaned down and stared at the old photograph in surprise, « I can’t believe you still have this! »

At that, Zuko queried, « By the way what have you done with the other one? Katara told me you mis—».

Sokka stopped him straight. « It wasn’t me, it was Momo! ». The prince laughed.

« You love me! Why aren’t you taking my side in this? » Sokka complained again but the smile on his lips hinted he was just as amused as Zuko.

With one last look at both photographs, Zuko put his things away and followed a happy Sokka into the dining room, thinking to himself once again, _Oh how crazy it is what a year can change_. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The end.


End file.
